A Journal For Jordan appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This became a positive presentation.
Sharpness was almost always appealing. A minor amount of softness crept into a couple of long shots, but otherwise the image remained tight and well-defined at all times.
I noticed no issues with shimmering or jaggies, and edge haloes failed to appear. Print flaws also failed to mar the presentation.
To the surprise of no one, Journal opted for a palette that favored a mix of amber/orange and teal. Within the movie’s color design, the tones seemed solid.
Blacks were dark and deep, while shadows demonstrated nice smoothness. This was a consistently satisfying image.
As for the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix of Journal, it showed scope typical of the drama genre. This meant a semi-limited soundscape, though it occasionally kicked to life.
That meant some combat scenes mainly, as those added real power. Street shots or parties added a bit of immersiveness. Most of the flick came with a lot of ambience, albeit pretty engaging environmental material.
Audio quality seemed good. Speech was distinctive and natural, without edginess or other issues.
Music seemed warm and deep, while effects showed nice clarity and accuracy. The mix suited the story, though the occasional military scene nearly boosted it to “B+” level.
Three featurettes follow, and Heart and Soul runs 11 minutes, 32 seconds. It brings notes from director Denzel Washington, author Dana Canedy, and actors Michael B. Jordan and Chanté Adams.
“Soul” looks at the two lead characters as well as cast/performances. Canedy provides a handful of insights related to the reality behind the story, but “Soul” mostly feels like a lot of happy talk.
Family Portrait lasts 10 minutes, 42 seconds and features Canedy, Jordan, Washington, Adams, and production designer Sharon Seymour.
It covers Canedy’s book, the adaptation and shift to the movie screen, and a few aspects of the film. Expect another piece that brings handful of decent notes along with plenty of fluff.
Next comes Words of Wisdom, a seven-minute, 12-second piece that provides info from Canedy, Jordan, and Adams. They discuss the actors’ exposure to the actual journal and some other artifacts from the real-life folks’ lives. Canedy provides a smattering of interesting memories but this mostly feels like another blah featurette.
Seven Deleted Scenes span a total of six minutes, 38 seconds. These offer minor character bits and seem wholly forgettable.
A Gag Reel goes for three minutes, four seconds as we find the usual goofs and silliness. Don’t expect anything compelling.
The disc opens with ads for A Mouthful of Air, Nine Days, and Death of a Telemarketer. No trailer for Journal appears here.
Perhaps the source story behind A Journal For Jordan offers a dramatic, inspiring tale. As depicted in this film, however, we get a dull, inert piece with precious little to create audience investment. The Blu-ray brings very good picture and audio as well as fairly blah bonus materials. This turns into a disappointing character journey.