Blue Jasmine

[Batutta]

Well this was Woody's best film in years, maybe decades. Midnight in Paris was a lot of fun but it's a lightweight confection. This was a penetrating, harrowing character portrait of a woman falling apart, sort of A Streetcar Named Desire meets vintage Woody. The film was made all the more harrowing for me because I know a woman almost EXACTLY like Jasmine, who went through similar circumstances and nearly went off the deep end. Cate Blanchett can dust off her shelf for another Oscar. I can't imagine another actress topping her performance. I actually think the film itself will probably get Best Picture unless other contenders come along. The biggest voting block are actors and they love these kinds of films, and it has enough contemporary relevance to be deemed an 'important' film by the Academy. Dice Clay was surprisingly good, but Bobby Cannavale was great. The actress who played Jasmine's sister was excellent too, someone I'd never seen before.

 

[Nektonic]

Well this was Woody's best film in years, maybe decades. Midnight in Paris was a lot of fun but it's a lightweight confection.

I love me some Woody... uh wait, that sounded perverted.

Seriously though, I loved MIDNIGHT IN PARIS. It was light but that tone worked in the film's favor. I had no problem with the way he approached that one. I think the theme of the film resonated just fine with a light tone.

I'm certainly not against darker or more serious Woody Allen fare though. I'll have to check this one out. Especially since you say that Bobby Canavale is in it and turned in a solid performance. I loved his performance as Gyp Rosetti in season three of BOARDWALK EMPIRE.

 

[Drew Ott]

Yes, this film was great. Woody Allen does wonders with unhappy women and stupid men. I was almost having a panic attack myself during some of these scenes. What agony! Allen portrays the petty longings of his characters with such seductive hostility. After the credits rolled at my theater, I heard a number of people make remarks that they didn't like the film, and all those viewers were dressed like Cate Blanchett--no wonder. Also worthy of note was the masterful (double meaning) camera blocking. The way these scenes were covered was so efficient that it was like film school for shot design. Complex scenes were covered with only a couple of setups and no emotion was lost, but rather it was gained. The scenes other directors would have bogged down with editing, Allen let play out in painful simplicity. Wow, this was claustrophobic. I'm still cringing.

 

[Eric Boellner]

So glad to hear SPC is expanding this even wider than Midnight in Paris. Hoping to see it soon.

 

[Drew Ott]

My favorite part of this movie was the use of the word "substantial." I think it's used twice. Blanchett says she's looking for a job--something substantial. Then she needs a man--someone substantial. This vague longing seems to be the spirit of today's age. Perhaps it's been the spirit of all ages, a search for substance... whether material or abstract. Either way, Allen repeats again and again that no such thing exists.

 

[David G. Smith]

I just saw it and really liked it. Cate Blanchett did an outstanding job and is sure to be up for an Oscar nomination. All of the acting was very good. I could not help thinking while watching it that Woody Allen was making his version of John Cassavetes' "A Woman Under the Influence". In lessor hands that would usually end up being derivative crap, but Woody pulls it off with aplomb and then some. DP Javier Aguirresarobe's work is also outstanding. I love the understated naturalistic style. All in all one of Woody Allen's finest films.

 

[cyclone]

I'd like to also give kudos to Alec Baldwin's performance. He is usually too over-the-top for my taste. But he played his character right on the mark. Not a bad guy - actually a good guy who did bad things for the right reasons. This isn't spoiler because the other thing I liked about the film is that Woody showed us the end right at the beginning. So there is none of the usual, "Oh, no. I hope they don't make these bad decisions and end up in the wrong place!" We know immediately how they end up. We can then just relax and enjoy the journey of how each character end up there.

 

[homestar_kevin]

Man, Finally got a chance to see this today. What performances! Everyone was wonderful.

Cate Blanchett really killed it though, haunting performance.

 

[vcassel]

I usually hate the way the term "brave performance" is brandied about, but I can honestly say Cate Blanchett gives one here.

Peter Sarsgaard continues his evolution to becoming John Malkovich.

Never thought I'd take Andrew Dice Clay seriously as an actor.

And I think this will be Louis C.K.'s breakout to a lot more film roles.

All around just very affecting, haunting, and even funny through its density. The only quibbles I have are the moments where the characters seem unmotivated and only there to deliver a plot point. But that's sort of common to Woody Allen and isn't without its charm when he does it.

 

[Allan Black]

Just saw it, well constructed, entertaining and true, a version of this appears in the scandal rags each month with the leading players winding up
in the Laughing Academy. But we leave Jasmine just sitting on a park bench mumbling to herself, maybe there'll be a sequel.

And a better score would help this story, not Woodys version of the Jazz music breaks which just cover the seqway into the next scene. They work in his other shows, especially the Spanish breaks in Vicki Christina Barcelona .. but not here.

Cate Blanchett nails it, she recently gave up the Directorship of the Sydney Theatre Company and we can see why. She's blessed with a wonderful voice
and range and can really push it out. She used the Oz actors trick of slightly accentuating her US accent for the first few lines, to get the right sound in the US audiences ear. Later she might accidently flatten it out or even lose it a tad. She also has a great butt, waving it around at suitable spots. And as my wife says .. she has great skin, her tears dance in the lights.

The supporting cast is great but this made by someone less famous, celebrated or even notorious than Woody Allen, it wouldn't get so much notice
and maybe not even solicit 10 replies here. 8/10.

Cheers.