BUTTERFLY TATTOO, THE - DVD review

You may not have heard much about "The Butterfly Tattoo" when it was released over a year ago in theaters and just a few months ago on DVD. This is surprising and unfortunate, especially because it won the Silver Chris at the Columbus Film Festival, was an official selection at the Netherlands Film Festival and Film by the Sea, won the best adaptation and best director awards at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival, and is probably better than many similar movies released about teenage love these days. I've had the disc for several weeks, but thanks to almost a dozen other releases in my queue wasn't able to get to it until recently. Now that I have, I wish I'd watched it sooner.

Based on a book titled The White Mercedes by Philip Pullman, "The Butterfly Tattoo" is an independent film that further convinces me Hollywood could learn a thing or two from some smaller markets. Of course, the almighty dollar tends to reign supreme in America's movie making hub, and whether or not this story could compete with something like the "High School Musical" films or "Twilight" is questionable. Still, "The Butterfly Tattoo" takes its lead actor and actress to new heights, relies on a solid supporting cast and has a quality soundtrack and script. It is complex and features some unique twists and turns, but never to the point where you can't or don't want to follow how it develops.

During a ritzy party on a cold fall evening, a stunning and beautiful teenage girl named Jenny (Jessica Blake) is running from a rich, pompous fellow whose intentions are less than moral. As she tries to get away she passes Chris (Duncan Stewart), a simple boy who lives in a less lavish Oxford neighborhood but works as a lighting specialist for an entertainment company that secures work in high-end locations. Chris sends her down a path to a boathouse, and diverts that rich, pompous gent seeking Jenny's company. A few minutes later, he follows her only to find a masquerade mask and her white evening dress. Determined to see her again, Chris tracks Jenny down and returns her attire. The two eventually go out for dinner, drinks and dancing, and find they come from equally turbulent upbringings that draw them together. Their relationship becomes intimate and expands until police remove Jenny's housemates for drug charges, leaving her with nowhere to go. Chris is unable to contact Jenny, and his world comes crashing down when his boss Barry (Aidan Magrath), whom he trusts and respects, confides in him to work on a special project but lies about his past life. As this past returns to the present, Chris and Jenny become intertwined with revenge, jealously and deceit, leaving their love and passion hanging in the balance.

I enjoyed this film for three reasons. First, Blake and Stewart are excellent in their leading roles. Blake is downright gorgeous from beginning to end. She is genuine and blends her sexuality perfectly with the character to create intrigue and curiosity about Jenny's past. She manages to be sensual, but also intelligent and charismatic, all while maintaining a "girl next door" persona throughout the film. Stewart is basically that nice guy who finishes last more often than not, but this is what makes him likeable. You want him to fall in love and be happy, even if there is a string or two attached. His realistic, simple and down to earth approach to life adds value to the performance. He isn't perfect, polished or refined, but like Blake's character, is genuine and passionate enough that you don't really notice or care. The best part is that both Blake and Stewart actually look like normal teens, not overly done up or privileged. They have a natural chemistry, and it permeates throughout the film.

Second, the soundtrack and score are unique. Featuring equally independent music, this independent film weaves songs and background tunes into its 101 minutes extremely well. It isn't the top 40 stuff you'd hear on American radio, but this isn't the big market stuff you'd see in American theaters, either. Like the characters, the music isn't perfectly polished, but it is catchy and well placed.

Third, it is a story that relies on tragedy to propel it forward, but love to anchor it. Although neither Chris nor Jenny had anything to do with Barry's violent past life, it becomes their burden to take up and carry. My guess is you've probably had this happen a few times in your life, so you can relate to this story and its characters just as I can. At any rate, you often wind up playing the cards you're dealt, and it rarely, if ever, feels fair. But as in "The Butterfly Tattoo," there is always something to be learned and taken away, and that something tends to be bigger than we may initially realize. In this regard, a primary theme is determination through adversity, both elements the film and life as a whole regularly implement.

There is plenty to like from start to finish, and while it won't bring in huge money or turn important heads on our industry, "The Butterfly Tattoo" is a good film that you may enjoy more than you first think. It is visually somewhat dark, so if you watch it, do so late in the evening to maintain the mood. It also takes longer than necessary to get going, a common problem among romantic films in general. But considering the success it's had and the meager budget and resources used to piece it together, I can't complain too much.

Video:
The 1.33:1 aspect transfer ratio is fine if we're talking colors and lighting, but not so hot if we're talking distances. Those characters further from the camera in various scenes are more blurry than clear, and it worsens if the scene is at night. The cinematography is fine, with many crisp, clean facial close-ups when Chris and Jenny are getting to know each other on a deeper level. There isn't much vibrancy to the colors in the film, but it manages to feel real and unrehearsed. I also appreciate the fact that so much shooting happened on location in England; a nice add on indeed.

Audio:
The audio is slightly better than the video, but I can't give it extremely high marks. While I could hear the Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtrack just fine, there were moments where some spoken words came through better than others. I didn't need to reach for a remote at all, but did have to strain an ear on occasion. As stated earlier, the soundtrack is quite strong and different, and it comes through in fine balance with the on screen action and dialogue. There are no additional language tracks than English, and no subtitles are provided.

Extras:
The DVD includes some pretty cookie cutter extras: a few outtakes, some deleted scenes with commentary from director Phil Hawkins, an extended scene in Jericho Tavern (where Chris and Jenny go during their first date), and the theatrical trailer. Nothing overly special here, but at least there's something. It would be great if independent films could go into greater detail in their extras about the production process, but cost seems to typically inhibit this.

A Final Word:
I was uneasy when I read the keep case before watching "The Butterfly Tattoo," especially after seeing the names "Romeo and Juliet" in the description. Thankfully, this film gets a little inspiration from the famous Shakespeare play, but doesn't rely on it for motivation. The strong main character performances motivate it quite well, as does the soundtrack and script. While it isn't a horribly uplifting film and will leave you slightly perplexed at the end, it is an entertaining tale that doesn't want to fit any traditional love story mold. There have already been countless titles that went that route.