Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

Before We Go Blu-ray Movie Review

Don't go without watching this wonderful little film.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 14, 2015

Actor Chris Evans (Captain America) makes his directorial debut with Before We Go, a precious little film that explores a night defined by chance meetings, unexpected chemistry, and unlikely understanding. These aren't new ideas or themes -- they've most recently been explored in the equally wonderful At Middleton -- but for a new director who is covering familiar ground, they're accessible and easy to work with. Evans gets the most he can from them, impressive both for a first feature and considering his double-duty work as the film's leading man. The film defines the term "charming cinema" and will melt the heart and bring a smile to the face of any but the most stone-cold of audiences who give it a chance.

Nick Vaughan (Evans) is a semi-pro trumpet player in New York for an audition with a music legend. He's playing in Grand Central Station to make a few extra dollars. Just as the station's closing, a woman runs by. She drops her phone. He picks it up and finds her. She just missed the last train. He learns her purse has been stolen and she has nowhere to go and no way to get home back to Boston. She introduces herself as Carrie (a wink to Sex and the City) but later reveals that she's actually Brooke Dalton (Alice Eve). Nick does everything he can to try and get her purse back and get her back home. But nothing's working. His credit card is declined, a dicey situation with the purse leaves them again without it, and their options are limited to attending a get-together at which Nick is sure to run into an old flame. As the night pushes towards dawn, the two become drawn closer to one another, leading Brooke to wonder, "how can one of the worst nights of my life also be one of the best?"

Before We Go thrives on charms and simplicity. It's very well done, resulting in a natural character-driven feature that finds the perfect blend of human interest drama, mild humor, deeper (and very mildly darker) themes, and just enough of a spark of potential romance to keep the audience waiting for that perfect moment when the lingering spark ignites, even if it's just for a moment. The film plays with some ideas on fate, spelled out during some fun little sequences that involve a make-believe time machine, but even beyond those the film paints a convincing picture of how lives become intertwined by more than chance, that even in a city that's so packed it's anonymous, two people who need one another -- even if it's just for a few hours -- will almost magically find their way into one another's company. It's done with a sweetness and approachability that will keep the audience interested both in the moment and the destination that culminates in a tidy, perfectly visualized and performed final shot.

Evans impresses on both sides of the camera, directing the film with a straightforward, no-frills simplicity that merely frames the story rather than shapes it. Less of the lightly shaky handheld might have given the film a bit more stability, but it does make for a mildly more intimate feeling, which reinforces the movie's dramatic core. Evans' performance in front is excellent, too. He's charming and charismatic, naturally quick, and fills in the part with an outward approachability and inward complexity that gives the character a welcoming amount of depth. His chemistry with co-star Alice Eve is palpable in every scene, regardless of where they're at in their quickly evolving relationship. Eve, likewise, manages to find an expert mixture of friendly approachability that covers some deeply held wounds and doubts. They're the beneficiaries of a great script but more than that they bring the characters to life with a knowing, inhabited realism that considerably elevates the movie.

Before We Go Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Before We Go's 1080p transfer yields a solid enough watch. Details are satisfyingly well defined, both intimate facial and clothing features and broader, yet still nicely complex, city exteriors. The transfer reveals Evans' beard with strong attention to detail, for example, while city storefronts reveal a nice bit of texture and a naturally sharp appearance. Colors, many of which come by way of bright city lights and most of which are lit by them, are nicely even and stable, whether bright neon or smaller support hues on clothes and accessories. Black levels are fine, for the most part, but there are plenty of places where they threaten to push a little too bright. Flesh tones can look ever-so-slightly pasty but are mostly healthy and natural. It's not a showstopper, but Anchor Bay's transfer presents the movie rather well.

Before We Go Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Before We Go features a fairly active and involved DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Street-level scenes spring to life with a nicely arranged symphony of urban sounds, including clattering footfalls, passing traffic, and distant honking horns. The surrounds carry a nice, natural bit of the load and the track does a fine job of inserting the listener into New York's nightlife. Public address announcements over the Grand Central Station loudspeakers are likewise nicely detailed and presented naturally across the back. Music enjoys effortless stage immersion, including, again, a good bit of natural surround support. Clarity throughout the range is fine, too, and there's a positive, never overwhelming, and detailed low end. Dialogue is clear and center focused and never lost under music or city din.

Before We Go Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Before We Go contains only one supplement. A Conversation with Director Chris Evans (1080p, 3:31) features the actor/director discussing his goal in directing the movie, the film's structure and style, work on both sides of the camera, and learning the trumpet. Evans comes across as honest and intelligent; it's a shame he didn't sit down for a full commentary track.

Before We Go Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Before We Go is a simple but warming movie that doesn't stretch Chris Evans as a director but proves him capable of telling a good, grounded, approachable story. His performance in front of the camera is quite good, too, a welcome reprieve from superhero duties that allows him to show another side that audiences might not know he had beyond the red, white, and blue. Alice Eve is terrific as his co-star, and together they make for a magical screen couple in one of the most approachable movies of 2014 that portends good things for Evans, the director. Anchor Bay's Blu-ray release features solid video and atmospheric audio. The only disappointing part of this release is a dearth of supplements. Still, it comes recommended.