A couple of years after his best performance (in my opinion) in Wait Until Dark, He would star as a father at the end of his rope in 1969's Popi! Now MGM is giving this family comedy a Blu-ray release.
Abraham (Alan Arkin) is a struggling Puerto Rican father who seizes on an outlandish plan to give his boys a better life. He sets them adrift in a boat off of Florida, hoping they will be rescued and raised by a wealthy family!
The film is well written, and it balances comedy and drama nicely! However, I think it suffers a little from the time frame almost two hours the film drags a bit at times. Alan Arkin really shines in this film. His performance of a frustrated as a single father of two boys in the slums, amazing. He is so believable! Reuben Figueroa and Miguel Alejandro are very good in their roles as Abraham's two boys. Also look out for Rita Moreno as Lupe!
Popi is a film from a different time. So, there is scenes of parental discipline that in this day would be considered extreme and even child abuse. There is also an animal cruelty scene with a pigeon. There is some slurs that some could find offensive and a brief scene of nudity. These are some warnings I feel I need to put out there for sensitive viewers.
The film has been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p in 1.85:1 aspect ratio. The soundtrack is a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. There is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. The picture is sharp, and the colors are vibrant with beautiful flesh tones. There are minor specks of dirt seen throughout the film, but they are minor. The audio is clean with no hiss or pops. But even with the minor imperfections all in all it is a nice film transfer.
Now for physical media fans like me, we love first and foremost a great looking copy of the film. But what makes these releases must own Blu-rays are the bonus features. Well, sadly MGM has added no bonus features to this Blu-ray. It would have been awesome to see the addition of an interview with Alan Arkin, an audio commentary or even a trailer, but all that is included is the option for English subtitles.
Even with its faults Popi is an entertaining, enjoyable and at times heartbreaking comedy drama. It is a kind of film that will stay with you long after the end credits roll.
If you love a good comedy drama film, why not try Popi! This new Blu-ray features a pretty nice transfer and is a great way to see this film. Head over to MovieZyng and order your copy today!
Out Of 4 Film Reels (4 being the best) MGM's Blu-ray of Popi receives......
 MGM Blu-ray Review ){kind=link}
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