Rain Man 4K UHD Review

400 Oak Street

Assuming Raymond Babbitt (Dustin Hoffman) is still alive in 2023, it’s a wonder where he buys his boxers. It’s unlikely the K-Mart in Cincinnati remains open, and hopefully the man found peace in having clothing delivered to his door.

Rain Man has detractors. That’s fair. Understanding autism as we do now (as opposed to 1988 when a nurse in Rain Man never heard of the condition) does date the film. It’s not always accurate either, but The Good Doctor is a television hit and not entirely different in presentation. Maybe that’s Rain Man’s fault as the film landed with wide audiences as their likely first (and potentially only) look at the condition.

Of course Cruise handles drama, but never with such detestable outbursts as in Rain Man

More than autism though, Rain Man concerns a purely human circumstance, with Tom Cruise an insufferable, patience-less hustler Charlie, using his brother Raymond for an inheritance he believes is legally his. It’s rare to see Cruise like this, rather than an entertaining, affable movie star generating thrills or laughs. Of course Cruise handles drama, but never with such detestable outbursts as in Rain Man.

The script does employ humor, but not at Raymond’s expense. Brief moments where he seems to emotionally connect to his brother bring a smile, whether that’s appreciating an apple juice box or Charlie briefly letting him drive. Seeing Raymond dance, the bliss of daily People’s Court airings, or so quietly noting his necessary schedule is charmingly peaceful. Rain Man takes the time to understand Raymond, while concurrently wrecking Charlie’s financial life. The rise of one and fall of the other is stellar screenwriting, and plays out naturally.

The turn in Charlie’s demeanor is obvious; Rain Man follows a predictable path, transforming Charlie into an understanding brother. Key though is Charlie’s atonement happens only after using Raymond to save himself from ruin. He’s not a hero. A better person, certainly, but not a great one. After a custody hearing that goes the reasonable way considering Charlie’s actions, it’s still about Charlie. He still yells for his brother to say goodbye to satisfy his own needs first. That’s a perfect ending, sappy, sweet, but not endlessly happy. It’s a compromise that makes dramatic sense, and without that, Rain Man likely feels cheap and manipulative. Instead, it’s honest.

Video

Originally announced without HDR, MVD listened to feedback and went back to grade Rain Man in Dolby Vision. That was worth it. Striking color makes an immediate impression on the Lamborghini’s, the reds absolutely brilliant. Flesh tones glow naturally, slightly warmed, but generously rich. Dynamic highlights glint off metal surfaces, while sunlight looks spectacular in the skyline. Hotel neon and Vegas lights appear with dazzling intensity. Black levels? Pristine.

Generous in resolution, texture leaps from the frame. Grain replication isn’t perfect, slightly noisy, but minor when considering the definition on display. Facial definition sticks the landing in close or from afar. Wide shots of the land/cities spare nothing. MGM’s original Blu-ray looked great – this UHD presentation makes full use of the resolution to draw out the tiniest bits of information on the pristine, damage-free film stock.

Audio

Sticking to DTS-HD, the surround track has its moments, finding ambiance to process during the generally quiet dialog that drives Rain Man. Wind turbines flap in the breeze when driving, slot machines jingle in the casino, and the score envelops the soundstage smoothly.

While never prominent, bass does factor in, primarily due to the music.

Extras

Commentaries in triplicate! Director Barry Levinson, co-writer Barry Morrow, and co-writer Ronald Bass each take the film on from their perspective. The 4K disc only includes a trailer after that, with the rest on the Blu-ray. That includes a deleted scene, a general featurette on the film, and an informative look at autism finish the disc up.

Full disclosure: This UHD was provided by the label for review. This has not materially affected DoBlu’s editorial process. For information on how we handle all review material, please visit DoBlu’s about us page.

The following six screen shots serve as samples for our subscription-exclusive set of 50 full resolution, uncompressed 4K screen shots ripped directly from the UHD: