Sparks fly as two people develop a deep connection despite the lingering legacy of past relationships. A compelling love story enveloped in music and imbued with humor. BAFTA nominee for Best British Film.

For thoughts on Ali & Ava, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/PFO623ljMjw?t=1880]

Video Quality

Ali & Ava comes to DVD with a 480p transfer that is pretty decent for the format. This DVD offers up a fair amount of detail from the modern production design to clothing. Skin tones look natural, and there are some decent facial details present, especially when it comes to Ali’s facial hair. Compression artifacts pop up without being overwhelming. Black levels are fair with only a minimal amount of blocking. Colors are pleasant and fairly vibrant in the bright daytime scenes. The cinematography of the film skews a bit on the cooler side, but there are some moments where bright colors are allowed to pop off the screen. This presentation is about as good as a DVD can look. While we desperately wish there could have been a Blu-Ray release, this movie should be checked out regardless of the format.

Audio Quality

The DVD comes with a Dolby Digital 5.1 Audio track in the original English which sounds pretty great within its format constraints. The film is primarily dialogue driven, but the narratively important soundtrack gives the track some life. Dialogue comes through crystal clear without ever being stepped on by the music or any sound effects. The music elevates certain moments as it fills the surround speakers effectively. Directionality is rendered accurately so that noises originate from all the natural spots. Environmental sounds such as children playing on a playground or falling rain add an effective touch to the proceedings. This track represents the movie exactly as it was intended and that is really all you can ask. The disc also includes optional English SDH subtitles.

Special Features

Trailers: The two-minute trailer for Ali & Ava is provided here. There are also trailers provided for Accepted, Hello Bookstore, Mau and Stay Prayed Up.

Final Thoughts

Ali & Ava is a funny and heartfelt tale of connection and romance which really connects on an emotional level. Much of the success of this film is owed to the two central performances, as you become completely enthralled in their chemistry. The narrative is nothing too revolutionary, but it handles the push and pull of this relationship with honesty and sensitivity. Greenwich Entertainment and Kino Lorber have released a DVD featuring a good A/V presentation for the format but not much in the way of special features. If you are wanting something that delivers high emotion in a thoughtful manner, look no further. Recommended

Ali & Ava is currently available to purchase on DVD and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the DVD.

Disclaimer: Greenwich Entertainment and Kino Lorber have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.