Blu-ray Review: One & Two

Blu-ray Reviews, Reviews, Top Story

Actors are often advised that after playing a long running role on a TV show, they need to find a character that gives them distance. Kiernan Shipka spent the last eight years growing up in a fake Manhattan as the daughter of a slick talking advertising genius on Mad Men. She emerges in the movie One & Two in the form of a farmer’s daughter. However this isn’t just a variation of Little House on the Prairie.

Eva (Shipka) and Zac (Interstellar‘s Timothee Chalamet) seem to enjoy being kids on a simple farm. This is not the large industrial operation. They’re living off the land with their parents as their only contact. The dad (True Blood‘s Grant Bowler) is a quiet man who likes discipline around the house. Mother (Elizabeth Reaser from all those Twilight films) is sick from something that gives her fits. As she goes in and out of her illness, the kids learn they have a magical power. The two can teleport themselves. They play a variation of tag around the farm. Turns out dad isn’t happy that the son has allowed the daughter to know of their secret abilities. As punishment, he nails the kids to the walls for the day. This isn’t the only way the kids feel trapped at home. A tall wooden wall surrounds the property. Why? The father tells the kids it is to keep people out. The daughter thinks it is to keep them trapped inside. At some point, they need to get beyond the wall rather than be stuck with their cruel father.

The film is rather pensive. There are times when the film seems like Terrence Malik doing a Marvel mutant origin film. The voice over narration from the characters drift through pastoral images. The kids vanish in puffs of smoke and reappear further in the field in a peaceful manner. There’s mysteries in why the kids have this special power. The film never over plays itself which keeps it engaging. They don’t turn into super heroes out to save the planet so much as understand their fates. The film weaves its way into its Southern location (shot around rural North Carolina). The main cast works well off each other. Shipka pulls off the country girl feel. One & Two is a delicate tale of simple kids with extraordinary talents.

The videos is 2.35:1 anamorphic. The 1080p transfers brings out the details in the low light scenes. 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 2.0 DTS HD Master Audio brings out the subtle mixes. Nothing is too overwhelming to the speakers. The movie is subtitled in English.

DVD with the film at a lower resolution.

Trailer (2:09) teases the magical quality of the kids.

One & Two is a strange tale of Southern siblings that like to jump around.

Shout! Factory presents One & Two. Directed by: Andrew Droz Palmero. Screenplay by: Andrew Droz Palmero & Neima Shahdadi. Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Timothee Chalamet, Elizabeth Reaser & Grant Bowler. Rated: Not Rated. Running Time: 90 minutes. Released: December 8, 2015.

Joe Corey is the writer and director of "Danger! Health Films" currently streaming on Night Flight and Amazon Prime. He's the author of "The Seven Secrets of Great Walmart People Greeters." This is the last how to get a job book you'll ever need. He was Associate Producer of the documentary "Moving Midway." He's worked as local crew on several reality shows including Candid Camera, American's Most Wanted, Extreme Makeover Home Edition and ESPN's Gaters. He's been featured on The Today Show and CBS's 48 Hours. Dom DeLuise once said, "Joe, you look like an axe murderer." He was in charge of research and programming at the Moving Image Archive.