Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Miles Ahead Blu-ray Movie Review

A different kind of Biopic.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 17, 2016

An unconventional, complicated man whose music was as elaborate as it was smooth deserves nothing less than a Biopic turned on its head. Veteran actor and first-time feature film director Don Cheadle does just that -- with as much passion, verve, and gritty authenticity as he can muster -- in Miles Ahead. A nonlinear film that shifts between two stories -- a younger Davis in his prime of music and love and an elder Davis long disappeared from the music scene who finds himself on a hectic adventure with a journalist -- Miles Ahead generates plenty of kinetic energy along the way, playing with a cooly crafted, robust, and intoxicatingly rich narrative that explores the man with the music proving a driving complimentary storytelling mechanic. Cheadle's debut film behind the camera is well versed and smartly assembled, and he turns in what may be remembered as his defining performance on the screen.

The Master.

Miles Davis (Don Cheadle), away from the music scene for several years, a recluse and reckless with his well-being, finds himself back in the game when a Rolling Stone journalist named Dave Braden (Ewan McGregor) comes knocking on his door. Their burgeoning relationship, growing increasingly less hostile than when it began, sees them confronting record producers at Columbia -- Miles isn't afraid to wave a gun in their face, either; after all, he is Miles Davis -- and, eventually, engaged in a dangerous game to retrieve a collection of Miles' unreleased works. The film also travels a bit deeper into the past for a look at Miles' life in music and love with his then-wife, Frances (Emayatzy Corinealdi).

Miles Ahead plays with a nearly perfect assemblage of passion project love and affection, advanced Biopic narrative construction, a deeply researched and richly nuanced lead performance, skilled technical craftsmanship, and music utilized as a storytelling bedrock. Don Cheadle proves himself a preeminent artist in every shot, on- and off-camera alike. The film is a creative masterpiece, well off the beaten path by way of its refusal to follow in the footsteps of the cruder Biopic crowd but ever confident and capable in exploring its own way of telling its own story. Even through its nonlinear progression, there's a graceful linear feel to the movie. Never jerky or unsure of its cadence, the film instead builds layers from both of its timeframes and paints a thorough picture of the man as he was and is without the benefit of the easy-way-out cradle-to-grave structure. Indeed, Cheadle, along with Co-Writer Steven Baigelman, builds Davis' story with an energetic, momentum-based top layer that drives and comes to define the more traditional static underpinnings that are the movie's substantive core about a musician in transition and a man in crisis.

With his transformative performance on the screen, Cheadle demonstrates a command of the character, a full embodiment across both of the film's timelines. His ability to inhabit both characters -- two takes on the same man -- define the performance beyond the usual Biopic structure. Cheadle doesn't simply play on the physical characteristics -- the cleaner cut younger, full of music and love Miles and the older, scruffier, self-sabotaged, in-crisis Miles -- but finds the why, finds the soul. Considering also the movie's tonal shifts, the performance becomes all the more praiseworthy. Cheadle's work is brilliant in all facets, the performance rising beyond the routine and the actor engaging himself, and his audience, in a fully inhabited artistic endeavor that also extends to the music. The film's score is its lifeblood, a complimentary character that more than any performance, shot, scene, sequence, or structured narrative tool defines the film's ebbs and flows. Cheadle's eye and ear for matching on-screen story with Davis' music is arguably the most critical, and beautiful, part of a fantastically composed and performed motion picture.

Miles Ahead Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Miles Ahead was primarily photographed on 16mm film. The gritty and grainy façade translates beautifully to Blu-ray. The filmic texturing and the steady and somewhat thick, but complimentary, grain structure beautifully hovers atop the image. Details are precise but resultantly a little rugged. Close-ups reveal extraordinarily intimate facial pores and hairs. Clothing textures are robust, as are the rougher city accents and unkempt details around Miles' home. Colors are healthy and true, straight-down-the-middle neutral without any fading or over-saturation. Black levels, predominantly shadowy backdrops during nighttime exteriors, are deep and accurate. Flesh tones are likewise true to natural complexions. The image shows not a hint of wear or compression faults. This is a rich, endlessly beautiful presentation from Sony.

Miles Ahead Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Miles Ahead features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack that explodes in a flash-forward sequence immediately after the opening titles, previewing a scene to come later in the movie. Car chase and musical support charge through with wide spacing and aggressive, yet still clear and precise, detailing. The same scene again opens up a bit more later. A few gunshots pop with good command and placement, and brass falling onto the pavement is realistically complimentary and clear. Otherwise, beyond some minor atmospherics, the track remains a front-heavy one. Music is nevertheless rich and detailed, with superb instrumental clarity and front end width and bass that plays underneath with quality of depth. The movie is predominantly dialogue intensive outside of music. The spoken word comes expertly prioritized, playing with natural front-center focus and consistent verbal definition.

Miles Ahead Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Miles Ahead contains a commentary, a featurette, a film festival Q&A, and the film's trailer. A UV digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Audio Commentary: Actor/Writer/Producer/Director Don Cheadle and Writer Steven Baigelman deliver a well spoken and highly insightful track that covers the movie's unique structure and style away from the basic Biopic, shooting locations, the movie's musical scenes, editing and film composition, and of course plenty about Miles himself. There are a few gaps here and there, but fans should find this to be both an enlightening and entertaining listen.
• The Truth: Becoming Miles Davis (1080p, 20:31): On-and off-screen talent, including Davis' son, discuss the real Miles Davis, Cheadle's portrayal and dedication to the film, the film's unique tone and narrative, getting the film off the ground, playing music in the film, and more.
• Sundance Film Festival Q&A (1080o, 21:48): Senior Programmer, Sundance Film Festival Shari Frilot introduces Don Cheadle for his pre-screening comments and cast introductions. After the screening, Cheadle, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Keith Stanfield, and Ewan McGregor sit down with Moderator Landon Zakheim to discuss the film in greater detail.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:14).
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Miles Ahead Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Miles Ahead is a masterpiece Biopic because it's not truly a Biopic, at least not in the conventional textbook sort of delivery the film employs. Cheadle proves himself a worthy Davis in a film that's uniquely assembled, with an unexpected tone of grittiness meets playfulness meets serious drama meets a whole bunch of other little bits all around a stunningly detailed and well-versed duel portrait of one of music's giants. Supported by a terrific soundtrack that's as much a part of the movie's DNA as any other aspect, Miles Ahead surges ahead as one of the great stories of a real-life musician out there. Sony's Blu-ray delivers perfect video, strong audio, and a few high quality supplements. Highly recommended.