Splitsville - Blu-ray Review

[Michael Scott]

Splitsville



Movie:
Video:
Audio:
Extras:
Final Score:



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Movie
After 2910’s The Climb, I was actually really interested to see real-life friends and collaborators Kyle Marvin and Michael Angelo Covino reuniting for another indie film. The Climb was highly praised for its portrayal of male friendship spanning years, and the trailer looked rather humorous for this venture. So I eagerly popped in the disc after ONLY watching the trailer (I really wanted to see this blind as I could) and sat back in hopes of watching a witty and dry comedy dealing with a very painful situation. And while there are certainly funny bits in the film, I found Splitsville to be largely unlikable, with brief glimpses of brilliance among it all.

Carey (Kyle Marvin) is a bit of a dweeb who married above his pay grade, if you know what I mean. He’s that guy who says cheesy dad jokes and finds them genuinely hilarious, while everyone around him chuckles so that he won’t feel bad. He’s nerdy, a bit clingy, and desperately codependent on his wife, Ashley (Adria Arjona), who springs that fateful talk on him during a vacation trip. You know, that little conversation that starts with “we’re not really working you and I” and ends with “It’s not you, it’s me”. Devastated after finding out that his wife has cheated on him and wants to end their marriage, Carey stumbles out of his car and makes his way over to his best friend Paul’s (Michael Angelo Covino), where he just flops his entire soul on their couch (metaphorically, not literally).

There, he finds out that Paul and his wife Julie (Dakota Johnson) are a bit more “open” in their marriage, and it sparks an idea. Maybe he can still have his wife, and she can be the narcissist that she is if he opens it up too, right? I mean, it’s worked for Paul and Julie, so why can’t a codependent man have his cake and eat it too, cuz these things work out SOOOOO well for people in the real world, right?

I will say this: while I didn’t enjoy most of Splitsville, I have to give genuine props to both male leads for giving it their all. You can obviously tell the thematic elements that the two writers/directors/actors are trying to deal with, from jealousy, control issues, hidden lies that threaten the whole relationship, all with gusto and intensity. It’s a delicate tight rope between honest, sincere, and brutally painful that actually takes skill to pull off. And they do pull it off in many aspects. Cary learning to deal with things in a new way takes him to new levels of intimacy that he didn’t think possible, but it also takes him to the brink of despair as well. Not to mention that both men are very intent on showing the dark side of this type of relationship without sugar coating the destruction that inevitably follows. Also, the two have an incredible chemistry that just permeates every scene they’re in (coming from two lifelong best friends, not shocking), and their friendly relationship actually shows more maturity and growth than their relationships with their wives (again, not shocking).

While the film uses emotional vulnerability and a willingness to explore difficult topics without sugar coating things, it’s really hampered by the lack of actual humour and an ending that just goes fully Hollywood by the time the third act wraps up. The humour is brief and fleeting, giving us a few chuckles here and there, with only a couple of actual laugh-out-loud moments (their fight after Paul finds out about Julie and Carey is downright hilarious). But past those few moments, the film is more of that awkward, low-grade chuckle that comes and goes. But again, it’s that last act that plays out in a totally ridiculous Hollywood proper grade fantasy manner that ground me the wrong way. Everything works out for everybody in the end. Paul and Carey get what they want (sorta), and the complexities and absolute devastation that they left over the course of the film are mostly swept under the rug. It really feels like a missed opportunity for the pair to actually LEARN from their mistakes rather than just have a magical “snap of the fingers” moment where things go back to a new normal. Again, not to be harsh on the two, as I really, REALLY liked what they attempted to do. It’s just that an attempt and a complete success are two separate things.




Rating:

Rated R for language throughout, sexual content and graphic nudity




Video:

It’s been a long time since I’ve rated a modern-day film below a 4/5 rating in the video department, but here we are. The 1.85:1 AVC encoded Blu-ray looks solid enough, but it’s not going to win any beauty awards, that’s for certain. The film is given a honey colored look, with wheat highlights and some browns to round this out. Costuming is unique, showing us pastels and creamy whites, while there are only brief instances of really bright and clear images (such as the fight that I mentioned, ending with them diving out a window into Paul’s pool). Fine detail is solid and quite good at times, but never spectacular. The same can be said about black levels and minor artifacting. There are some really great shots, but also some grungier ones that don’t really showcase anything wild. Grain is a bit chunky and weird, but overall, this is a pretty decent transfer, but not one I’m going to rave about.









Audio:

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA mix is exactly what one would expect from a character-driven drama. It’s not flashy, not showy, but it does everything well without ever stretching the limits of the lossless audio mix. Dialogue exchanges are just fine, with good clarity in all ranges, and the dramatic elements bring in the heavy score elements. Outings to the fair, or the aforementioned fight, flesh out the surround and sub channels a good bit, but other than that, this is a very reserved dramedy mix that doesn’t ask a whole ton of the surround system, but is more than capable with what is given.









Extras:

• The Making of Splitsville - Featurette
• Original Theatrical Trailer
• TV Spots

Final Score:

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I’ll say it again. I really wanted to like Splitsville more than I did; I liked both Michael and Kyle together as a creative team. The concept of the film is downright hilarious, and both male leads are fantastic. Not to mention Dakota Johnson is downright personable in it, which is the most shocking reveal of all (I honestly thought she was a robot for the longest time). The Blu-ray looks and sounds OK, but the film struggles a bit more than it should. However, fans of cult indie comedies may want to give this a spin; otherwise, I’ll leave this as a rental for those who enjoy offbeat dramedies.


Technical Specifications:

Starring: Michael Angelo Covino, Dakota Johnson, Adria Arjona, Kyle Marvin
Directed by: Justin Tipping
Written by: Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 AVC
Audio: English: DTS-HD MA 5.1, English DVS
Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish
Studio: Decal Releasing
Rated: R
Runtime: 105 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: November 18th, 2025

Recommendation: Rental

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