Jacqueline (Cynthia Erivo), a young refugee, lands alone and penniless on a Greek island, where she tries first to survive and then to cope with her past. While gathering her strength, she begins a friendship with a rootless tour-guide (Alia Shawkat) and together they find the resilience to forge ahead.

For in-depth thoughts on Drift, please see my colleague Phoenix Clouden’s review from its theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Drift comes to Blu-Ray in a 1080p presentation that is truly gorgeous. This story takes place in a stunning location that is intentionally shot to not look like a tourism ad, yet the film cannot completely suppress the visually rich experience replete with an incredible amount of detail. There are some very bold colors that capture the gorgeous nature of the environment. There is nothing artificially boosted here, but director Anthony Chen and cinematographer Crystel Fournier frame the natural world in a way that makes it come alive. Highlights are handled well with no instances of blooming, and the blacks are deep and do not suffer from crush or compression artifacts. The transfer delivers texture within the natural landscapes and production design that adds significant depth to the picture. Skin tones are detailed and natural all around. Utopia has done an impeccable job with this release.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original English and Greek that works effortlessly to capture this story. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being suppressed by the sound effects. Environmental effects flesh out the soundscape of nature and make the world feel more immersive and sonically tactile. The film uses music in really satisfying ways which fills the room just right. The sound design is not pushed to the brink, but it remains duly accurate with sounds positioned perfectly in the mix. This is far from an action-heavy film, but activity in the low end adds some textures to certain scenes when appropriate. This is a top-notch release all around. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Anthony Chen provides a thoughtful commentary track in which he discusses what it was like to make his first English-language film, the adaptation of the source material, ideas behind certain moments, the experience of shooting in Greece, working with the performers, and much more.

Still Gallery: A nearly five-minute collection of stills from the film is provided.

Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Drift is a languidly-paced drama that washes over you with a beautiful purpose thanks to the direction of Anthony Chen. The film can be frustratingly opaque when it comes to the background of our main character, as it somewhat hinders the emotional connection we can form with her. Yet, the delicate performances of these characters bring the necessary depth to the material that keeps it a rewarding watch. The film will not be for all, but those with the necessary patience should find much to appreciate. Utopia has released a Blu-Ray featuring a terrific A/V presentation and a welcome commentary track. If you love intimate, character-driven dramas, this is worth a look. Recommended

Drift is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome/OCN Distribution.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Utopia & OCN Distribution 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.