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Warner Home Video presents

Eight Days a Week (1997)

Erica: And there is no doubt about it, Roger Moore is by far the best James Bond.
Peter (interior thoughts): Roger Moore? Come on! Everybody knows Sean Connery is the best James Bond.
Peter: Yeah. Yeah, you're right. Ah, Roger Moore is the best James Bond.
Peter (interior thoughts): My God, what was I saying? Erica's beauty had more power over me than I thought.- Keri Russell, Joshua Schaeffer

Stars: Joshua Schaefer, Keri Russell
Other Stars: R.D. Robb, Mark Taylor, Marcia Shapiro, Johnny Green, Buck Kartalian, Catherine Hicks, Patrick O'Brien, Darleen Carr, Biff Manard, Ernestine Mercer
Director: Michael Davis

MPAA Rating: R for strong sexual content and related dialogue
Run Time: 01h:32m:59s
Release Date: 2006-05-02
Genre: romantic comedy

Style
Grade
Substance
Grade
Image Transfer
Grade
Audio Transfer
Grade
Extras
Grade
B- B-BB- D-

 

DVD Review

What a precarious thing young love is! One minute you're a cool, rational being and then POW! all of a sudden find yourself moving halfway around the world for a ravishing blonde, some bronze god, or whatever fits your fancy. This seemingly universal phenomenon is the springboard for Eight Days a Week, a surprisingly raunchy indie that deals with the bizarre mind of a girl-crazed boy.

The boy is Peter (Joshua Schaeffer) and the girl is his sexy neighbor, Erica (Keri Russell). Since they were children, the nerdy Peter has loved Erica but has never been able to make headway because, well, they're "just friends." Now, with advise from his grandfather Nonno (Buck Kartalian), our wannabe Don Juan takes up residence on Erica's lawn. This insane plot is his attempt to win her over before the summer ends and Erica leaves for college. It isn't going to be easy, since Peter will not only have to survive the elements of suburbia, but also fend off his perverted friend Matt (R.D. Robb), Erica's jock boyfriend Nick (Johnny Green), and his disgruntled father (Mark Taylor).

There's very little plot in this comedy. Writer/director Michael Davis strings together a bunch of offbeat moments to create a delightful 90 minutes. As Peter sits atop blades of grass, we share his bird's eye view of the quirky atmosphere around him. From Erica's ultra-Evangelical parents to the mysterious disappearance of a neighbor's wife (cf. Rear Window) to Matt's sociopathic quest for self-satisfaction, the screenplay provides a steady stream of laughs. There's even, in its own way, a kind of beauty at work here. Take, for instance, Peter's speech about how a woman's boobs convey her inner being. It's completely divorced from reality and yet somehow it all makes sense. There's even a delightful montage of Erica and Peter forming a closer relationship (despite the fact that she thinks Roger Moore is the best James Bond).

Of course, it's obvious how things will wind up when the closing credits role—the narrative drive isn't what's important. Rather, Davis puts the emphasis on Peter. Schaeffer does a nice job of playing the dorky high schooler, perfectly capturing his uninhibited desires as well as the true love he feels for Erica. The supporting cast is also quite memorable, particularly Patrick O'Brien as Erica's father. Seeing him pose as Jesus in a tableau of da Vinci's Last Supper is a sight that won't soon leave my mind.

There's nothing exceptional about Eight Days a Week. It simply provides a pleasant evening's entertainment without any pretense. Michael Davis has created a funny, romantic premise that may just be crazy enough to work in real life. Everybody involved seems genuinely committed to having a good time and makes sure we have one, too.

Rating for Style: B-
Rating for Substance: B-

 

Image Transfer

 One
Aspect Ratio1.85:1 - Widescreen
Original Aspect Ratioyes
Anamorphicyes


Image Transfer Review: As a low-budget romantic comedy, Eight Days a Week doesn't feature the most stunning visuals; due to the source material, the image transfer isn't striking. There's nothing noteworthy here, but the picture accurately reflects the original theatrical experience.

Image Transfer Grade: B
 

Audio Transfer

 LanguageRemote Access
DS 2.0Englishno


Audio Transfer Review: The Dolby Stereo 2.0 mix is, likewise, not noteworthy. When played in ProLogic the sound is still largely front heavy, with dialogue always being clear and audible. The music and sound effects are mixed nicely, not detracting from the visuals while helping add some texture. It's nothing special, but the track fits the movie.

Audio Transfer Grade: B- 

Disc Extras

Static menu with music
Scene Access with 21 cues and remote access
Subtitles/Captions in English, French, Spanish with remote access
1 Original Trailer(s)
Packaging: Amaray
Picture Disc
1 Disc
1-Sided disc(s)
Layers: single

Extras Review: The special features here are extremely light, with only the movie's theatrical trailer, presented in full frame and Dolby Stereo.

Extras Grade: D-
 

Final Comments

Eight Days a Week presents a humorous, offbeat collection of gags strung together by one boy's unwavering love for his girl next door. It isn't anything special, nor is this barebones DVD, but it provides what it promises.

Nate Meyers 2006-06-30