Pulp Fiction inspired a lot of ‘90s movies. Most took the crime genre with quirky characters and sharp dialogue. It was five years later that Go took the hook of three interconnecting stories on shifting timelines. It was still crime, but a lot younger with 20somethings involved in drug deals and Las Vegas antics.
The new 4K UHD from Arrow preserves the gritty, grainy look of the first story with Sarah Polley and Katie Holmes working in the supermarket, embarking on a drug deal and a rave. The Vegas portion becomes bright and vivid on the desert road, the buffet and casino itself. The third story, with actors played by Scott Foley and Jay Mohr working with cop William Fichtner, mixes both looks. It intersects with the gritty drug deal, but the cop’s house is bright and suburban.
There are plenty of night scenes that showcase deep black sky, outside the cop’s sting house and dealer Todd Gaines (Timothy Olyphant)’s house, the rave parking lot and rave itself with glowing flashing lights, and Ronna (Polley) laying in a ditch. The Vegas strip still has the night sky, and the actors end up at the night rave too.
Surround sound activates when the rave pulses, some of the casino ambiance, some car swerving in the Las Vegas chase, and rain.
Screenwriter John August is honest about the film’s first cut and reshoots. If you’ve heard his podcast, he can explain the process well. This is a 20 minute version. His short film God with Melissa McCarthy is also included and displays McCarthy’s physical and verbal comedy skills. She and August give a commentary on that too.
Desmond Askew, who plays Taye Diggs’ friend on the Vegas trip, also reflects on the film. What we didn’t see any of in the film was the extended process he went through to land the role. So he tells it here.
The new commentary is well researched from the studio’s production notes and other interviews. Liman and editor Stephen Mirrione’s DVD commentary is still included.