Denzel Washington's directorial debut, the emotionally stirring Antwone Fisher, comes to DVD; while it's a surprise this film didn't do better in theaters, it will now have it's chance on home video. Fox has done a fine job with this disc, producing an excellent transfer that mirrors the theatrical print. The 2.35:1 anamorphic image (yes, there is a severely cropped pan and scan version also available) shows fine detail and outstanding contrast. Colors are perfectly realized and very realistic. The English 5.1 Dolby Digital track is nothing to really get excited about, as it's based more in the front-center speaker, but the sound is clear throughout, and, for this dialogue-driven film, that's all that can be asked. A decent number of extras have been included here, such as a scene-specific commentary track from Washington and producer Todd Black. Each is enthusiastic and forthcoming, and contribute plenty to a fine track. Also included are three featurettes: "Meeting Antwone Fisher," as would be expected, is more interview-based information of the man who is not only the subject of the film but also wrote the screenplay; "Hollywood and the Navy," the shortest of the three, looks at the (especially post 9/11) relationship between the Navy and the filmmakers; and the last, and longest, is "The Making of Antwone Fisher," a fairly straightforward (and a tad fluffy) look at the overall production. Finally, although there isn't a theatrical trailer for this film, ones for Drumline, In America, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, and Le Divorce are included.
