![[box cover]](../../reviewimgs/s/safe.jpg)
Safe
Julianne Moore stars as Carol, a wealthy housewife drifting aimlessly through her perfect life until she is struck with a mysterious illness. Writer-director Todd Haynes' clinical, fascinating 1995 film quietly follows this ordinary woman through a gauntlet of inner terror and is one of the most riveting, disturbing, and telling films about the American psyche in the last 20 years. Avoiding pathos and cheap satire, Haynes' impartial, unblinking approach results in a film of unlimited interpretations while undoubtedly addressing one of the most unnerving aspects of the modern malaise. While it's great to finally see Safe in its carefully planned widescreen glory, Columbia TriStar's 1.85:1 anamorphic transfer surpisingly lacks detail. However, Ed Tomney's unsettling score and Haynes' perfect sound design sound great in Dolby 2.0 Surround. The DVD also features a conversational, occasionally enlightening commentary with Haynes, Moore, and producer Christine Vachon. Trailer, keep-case.
—Gregory P. Dorr
