Unexpected Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Unexpected Blu-ray Movie Review

What to expect when you're watching 'Unexpected.'

Reviewed by Martin Liebman September 29, 2015

Sometimes, expecting comes unexpectedly. Yet pretty much every adult -- and pretty much every teenager for that matter -- understands the basic biological birds and bees requirements to conceive a child, but hormones and the heat of the moment can sometimes overwhelm brain cells and, voila! -- a baby there be not too soon afterwards. And who but only the women (and one man) who have experienced the nine-month journey from the womb to the birthing room can really say just how wild and wonderful a time it can be? The highs, the lows, the tears, the fears, the joys, the cravings, the sickness, the tears again, more cravings, and on and on. It's a wonderful yet still stressful time for even the most prepared of people, those whose family and friends have taken them by the hand and offered a step-by-step guide on how to maneuver through the physical and emotional minefield world of pregnancy. But even in a vacuum pregnancy can be unpredictable. Get pregnant in the real world -- with work, relationships, and the stresses of everyday living piled up on top of everything else -- and what should be the most joyful of times can become the most stressful (but still the most joyful at the end of the day). Unexpected explores, in a very condensed fashion, the pregnancies of two people in two very different stages of life but whose shared bonds help guide them through the process that prove a lot more difficult than they could have ever imagined, and not just because of those weird food combination cravings that creep in at the most inopportune times.

Learning what to expect.

Samantha Abbott (Cobie Smulders) is a dedicated high school science teacher who takes a real interest in her students. But the school is closing its doors, leaving her out of a job and away from what she loves. She's interested at an open position at a nearby museum, but her life takes an unexpected turn when she learns that she's pregnant. She's not sure what to think, but her boyfriend John (Anders Holm) proposes, the two quickly wed, and things seem back on the right track, even if Sam's mother isn't thrilled with their elopement. While she's finishing up the school year and working through the early stages of pregnancy, she learns that her star pupil, Jasmine (Gail Bean), is also pregnant. Samantha takes her under her wing and refuses to allow her to use her pregnancy as an excuse to skip out on college. The two form an intimate bond of shared experiences as they maneuver through pregnancy together, sorting out what it will mean for their lives, both in the here-and-now and in the distant future.

Unexpected is a nice, gentle film, one that's a bit too vulgar for younger audiences and one that lacks a whole lot of substance for more mature audiences, but it plays its cards pretty straight and delivers just about the sort of experience one would expect of a superficially light and fluffy and somewhat more inwardly complex Comedy/Drama about a couple of pregnant people. The film offers a pleasing and gradual highlight reel of the process considering it's cramming nine months into a runtime of under 90 minutes. The result is a movie that admirably efforts to show not only the basic processes of pregnancy but rather explore how pregnancy can alter one's life in the real world, outside of that joyous bubble where the process -- during pregnancy and after -- can halt one's life plans dead in their tracks. The film follows two people on different paths but who are taking the same journey, one whose pregnancy interferes with her career and the other whose pregnancy interferes with her college plans. Regrettable though it may be, the entire world doesn't slow down for a pregnancy. Rules must be maintained and schedules kept intact. These are hard lessons both characters learn throughout the movie. The question is whether they can adapt or whether they'll begin to see the pregnancy as a curse rather than a blessing.

The film boasts a quality cast that understands the story's narrative drive and thematic currents while also portraying real, relatable people whom the audience can practically consider friends, not simply an image on a screen, worthy of emotional investment. Cobie Smulders is a natural as Samantha. Her range is impressive as she maneuvers through the hormonal challenges pregnancy has to offer but also nails the part as a more grounded human being whose interest in her students -- particularly ace pupil and fellow pregnant person Jasmine -- remains a top priority. Smulders glows throughout the movie, even in her lowest moments, and her exploration of pregnancy offers a balanced, approachable, very human angle. Gail Bean is nearly as strong as Jasmine, the college bound student whose plans are interrupted with her own pregnancy, but her bond with her teacher -- who won't let her go and with whom she can relate -- is just as crucial a narrative cornerstone as the pregnancies. It allows for the shared experience, yes, but it also helps each one understand human bonds and gently progress them to motherhood, each getting a taste of what it means to be both parent and child in a relationship that's nearly as tight as the bonds of blood. Anders Holm may be the film's biggest surprise. It's easy to see the playful core he emphasizes in Workaholics, but he's here a tenderhearted dad-to-be whose commitment to Samantha is just about the most emotionally consistent cornerstone of the entire Unexpected story.

Unexpected Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Unexpected arrives on Blu-ray with a good all-around 1080p transfer. It's hardly a standout this deep into the format's lifecycle, but it gets the job done without raising any eyebrows. Details satisfy. The image isn't razor-sharp or meticulously defined at every turn, but basic clothing and facial features are fine, and backgrounds -- classrooms, doctors offices -- enjoy nice basic definition throughout. Colors, likewise, satisfy. The palette sees some nice and bright clothing hues and some quality outdoor shades that enjoy fine general vibrancy. Many indoor shots go a bit warm. Black levels are decent though border on mild crush in some scenes (a nighttime dialogue scene between Samantha and Jasmine being the best example). Skin tones look slightly pasty in warmer light but hold up well enough elsewhere. The image suffers from no major bursts of noise. Banding, macroblocking, and aliasing appear absent. It's not a stunner, but this is a solid all-around HD image from Alchemy.

Unexpected Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Alchemy has delivered Unexpected to Blu-ray with the studio's customary Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Much like the video transfer, the soundtrack satisfies but never distinguishes itself from the pack. That's mostly due to the rather straightforward, few-frills sound design. The film is dialogue intensive, and the spoken word flows from the center with effortless articulation and consistent prioritization. Music is light and fluffy but enjoys good general instrumental clarity and separation around the stage, including a moderate surround sound support. Things amp up a bit at a party later in the film while some bass-heavy beats play with suitable depth and presence. Surround ambience is generally limited to immersive multi-person chatter at that same party and in school classrooms and hallways. The track does everything well, nothing spectacularly, and gets the listener through the movie well enough.

Unexpected Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

All that's included are previews (480i) for other Alchemy titles.

Unexpected Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Unexpected is a solid film that holds the audience's hand and offers a gentle, tender, inviting look into the world of pregnancy. It's not particularly deep, but it is rather satisfying thanks in large part to two well-written and strongly performed leads who feel less like characters and more like close friends. And in a movie like this, there's really not a higher compliment to be paid. Alchemy's featureless Blu-ray sports good video and audio. Recommended.