Bringing Crowe's engaging screenplay to life is an absolutely wonderful cast of talented performers. Patrick Fugit truly shines as William, the innocent trying to play it cool, while on the road with the band and their groupies. Kate Hudson is a joy to watch as Penny Lane, the wisest of the girls that follow the across the country band. Frances McDormand is hilarious and manages to steal every scene she is in, as her character imparts her philosophy onto the rest of the world- whether they want to hear it or not. Everything appears sharp and well defined, with bold beautiful colors that look better than the decade they are supposed to depict.
Stronger hues are completely stable and the flesh tones are always appealing.
Blacks are accurately rendered and the image boasts excellent shadow detail and depth. Digital compression artifacts are well concealed throughout the presentation. The Dolby Digital 5.1 channel soundtrack is quite good, making the most of both the music and sound effects to create a cohesive sonic environment. Directional sound effects pan convincingly through 360-degree sound field, while the music has a more enveloping effect on the viewer. The bass channel is very solid, although it exists primarily to enhance the music.