Horrible Bosses - Blu-ray/DVD Combo Review

Oct 12, 2011
Ryan Young

The Blu-ray/DVD ComboEdition of 'Horrible Bosses'. - Packaging by New Line Cinema

This impressively cast dark comedy tale arrives in a Totally Inappropriate high-definition edition that gives too much and not enough simultaneously.

Horrible Bosses isn't the first dark comedy film to tackle the subject matter of a lowly employee being humiliated on a constant basis by their employer, but it does star two actors that have experience in that particular genre before. Who can forget the infamous berating movie producer Buddy Ackerman (Kevin Spacey) from Swimming With Sharks? Or the cult hit that made everyone relate and identify with working behind a cubicle or serving tables under a brainless employer in Office Space (which co-starred Jennifer Aniston)?

This time the two, along with a slimy Colin Farrell, play three of the worst bosses imaginable to three longtime friends played by Jason Bateman (Couples Retreat), Jason Sudekis and Charlie Day (Going The Distance). After each buddy jokingly vents to one another their separate occupational struggles, they decide to go through with murdering their problems after getting advice from a supposed homicidal expert (Jamie Foxx). Taking the swap approach from Strangers On A Train, each of them targets a different boss and discovers that fulfilling their fantasies may not be as easy as once thought.

The Movie

First off, it's hard not talking about the best thing about this film right off the bat and that's the cast. Bateman, Sudekis and Day are the three best type of non high-profile but gifted comedic talents who could carry the film along with the heavyweight stars who play their bosses. With Sudekis having a friendship on-screen with Day already in Going The Distance, it's easy to buy them as longtime friends and Bateman works as the straight arrow of the group. The three bosses are a complete hoot as Spacey returns to a role he relished in before, Farrell channels his inner slimeball effectively, and Aniston is the biggest against-type revelation as the filthy, sex-craved dentist harassing her assistant.

Horrible Bosses was directed by Seth Gordon, who helmed episodes of television's The Office and Modern Family. The funny-bone material in Horrible Bosses is similar in tone to those shows, often honestly snappy with the dialogue and extraordinarily clever in the structure. The film isn't gut-bustingly hilarious but from beginning to end it invokes plenty of chuckles and amusement to keep it interesting.

The Blu-ray/DVD Combo Edition

Warner Brothers/New Line Cinema have rolled out a whopping three-disc edition entitled "Totally Inappropriate" that was released on October 11, 2011. Disc 1 houses a stand-alone extended cut of the film that lasts eight minutes longer than the theatrical and in my opinion it's better. One of my biggest complaints out of the theater experience was that there wasn't enough of Colin Farrell's character to appreciate in comparison with the other two bosses, but the extended cut gives him more time to shine and with more memorable lines to boot.

The 1080p high-definition image on Horrible Bosses is nothing short of pristine. Every shot, whether bright or dark is sharp with clarity and effective with colour. The DTS-HD Master Audio soudtrack however isn't quite as uplifting as one might think. Sure you get the goods with the songs of the film, a few sound effects scattered about and some atmospheric chatter in the rears, but the track isn't as powerful as others by comparison. Still, dialgoue is always clear and it doesn't hinder the viewing experience all that much.

Disc 2 supports the theatrical cut of the film and the bonus features, also presented in high-definition. The assortment of features are lightweight and can be rummaged through rather quickly. "My Least Favourite Career" finds the castmembers disclosing their forgettable job experiences to the audience. "Surviving A Horrible Boss" gets thoughts and opinions on the topic from Bateman, Sudekis, Day, and Director Seth Gordon. The best segment is "Being Mean Is So Much Fun" which interviews Spacey, Aniston, and Farrell about playing their characters.

"The Making Of The Horrible Bosses Soundtrack" highlights the various musical talents involved on the film's score, while the "Deleted Scenes" offer some alternate openings, a gruesome version of a fantasy murder scene from the film, and a full scene featuring Colin Farrell that was used as a bit for the closing credits. While most of these segments aren't a complete waste of time, attaching a feature commentary with any members of the cast would have been a welcome addition as well as offering the theatrical trailer (which was funny in its own right).

Disc 3 is a standard DVD copy of the theatrical cut that also works as a Digital Download disc.

Final Thoughts

Horrible Bosses is a comedy film one might not expect to be really funny, but it pleasantly proves that theory wrong thanks to its impeccable cast. While I can see this edition being perhaps a bigger home run as a rental rather than a purchase, the three-disc edition tries to give you inticing value for your money by offering multiple viewing options for the film over all the discs. Too bad there wasn't just a little more care done on the extra features for fans to utilize.