We all feel a little 'Blue'

 Blue Jasmine 
Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale

I skipped To Rome With Love, mostly due to the fact that if I don’t see movies in theatres, I lose interest quickly.  It’s an unfortunate....quality.  But, judging on reviews and word of mouth, I don’t think I missed much.  I am glad, however, that I did make it to my local theatre (and I mean local - Vintage Cinemas in Los Feliz) to see Blue Jasmine, Woody Allen’s homage to the distressed Tennessee Williams’ heroine.  Relocating to San Francisco, Allen sets his sights on the contrast between wealthy upper class and lower middle class America.  While Blue Jasmine strives for, and mostly hits, the upper echelon of the great Woody Allen films, it’s still clear that he has a much better understanding of the upper class.  

Cate Blanchett gives a stellar performance as Jasmine, a wealthy New York socialite who finds herself on dark times.  Her husband Hal (Alec Baldwin, channeling some Jack Donaghy) was involved in insider trading, got arrested, and she subsequently lost all her wealth and status.  Left with nothing, Jasmine flies to San Francisco to live with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins).  Ginger, however, couldn’t be more different than her older sister.  Very content singly raising her two kids in an apartment, Ginger is here to represent the lower middle class.  Those that are barely making enough to get by, yet manage despite all and every obstacle.  Her current boyfriend Chili (Bobby Cannavale), whom Jasmine has deemed an idiot, does the best he knows how for Ginger and the kids.  The interplay between Jasmine, Ginger, and Chili is elitist vs. complacency vs. ‘this is what I know.‘  Jasmine thinks that she’s the better person and isn’t afraid to say it out loud.  Jasmine’s disdain for those who are not in the club d’elite adds to her anxiety and neurosis.  

While that interplay is prevalent throughout the film, it’s clear that Allen still can’t write for the lower middle class.  Cannavale, while giving a great performance, is still subjugated to playing the grease-monkey stereotype.  A mechanic who looks like a mechanic ‘should.’  Ginger’s ex-husband Augie (Andrew Dice-Clay) is an irresponsible goof, who couldn’t know a bad business proposition if it bit him in the ass.  Portraying key characters in an unflattering way not only demeans them, but perpetrates that standard thinking.  And while we are seeing these characters through Jasmine’s eyes, their actions and motivations still seem to steeped in stereotype.  

Going beyond even the Blanche DuBois archetype Blanchett is outstanding, giving a performance that is nuanced, emotional, and earnest though never showy.  She dives deep into the neurosis and anxiety of the character, barely coming up for breath.  Not able to let the ways of her old life go, Jasmine makes every attempt to keep up appearances even as her world crashes down around her.  Eventually, she meets a wealthy bachelor and for a few brief moments, her way of life returns and she finds some comfort.  However, having found a way to sabotage her New York life, she does the same in San Francisco and the cycle starts all over again.  

Overall, Allen has crafted a brutally honest look at the life of a socialite and how quickly it can crumble around you.  And how that existence continues to permeate your actions and decisions even after you’ve fled.