Blue Jasmine [2013]
Directed by: Woody Allen
Written by: Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Sally Hawkins, Alec Baldwin, Bobby Cannavale, Andrew Dice Clay, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg
Stunning beauty hadn’t been so repulsive in a while.
Not since Charlize Theron tore through Mercury, Minnesota in Young Adult (2011), had I felt as guilty for wanting to sucker-punch a woman in the mouth.
Please note that I’ve never punched a woman, real or fictional, in the mouth or any other body part.
Every comment out of Jasmine French drips with unhealthy self-importance and disdain and her snide remarks will have you awkwardly laughing one minute and desperately cringing the next.
Cate Blanchett pours herself into the surprisingly unflattering role of Jasmine and is deservedly the one to beat for the ‘Best Actress’ Oscar. While it’s one of the best displays of talent in film this year, it’s also just the latest in a career characterized by splendid performance after splendid performance.
Jasmine would be nothing without a host of people to terrorize: Andrew Dice Clay, Bobby Cannavale, Peter Sarsgaard and Alden Ehrenreich are memorable as part of the supporting cast, while Sally Hawkins is a great match for Blanchett as the sister who lost the genetic lottery.
As impressive as Cate’s bravura performance is, we wouldn’t have her without the sharp mind of Woody Allen, back in the U.S. and redeeming himself after the disappointment that was To Rome With Love.
You won’t be able to stand the drunken, pill-popping mess that is Jasmine, yet you won’t be able to look away either.
Sounds very interesting, I’d like to see this one for sure.
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Hope you do soon. Cate is just mesmerizing.
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Annoyed I missed this at the cinema but definitely want to catch it at some point. Nice review mate.
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Thanks, Chris! Hope you see it before Cate nabs her second Oscar.
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I hated that I missed this one. It hits DVD in a couple of weeks so hopefully I can check it out then. Good stuff.
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Thanks, Keith. Hope you see it soon. LOVED Blanchett in this.
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Pretty much on the same page here Fernando. Nice post my friend.
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Good to hear. Thanks! 🙂
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Good review. I mostly agree. I think this film light on theme and meaning, but it is a tour de force of amazing acting. And Blanchett is especially awe-inspiring.
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She definitely is. Superb work. Also by Hawkins.
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Agreed there, too.
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Good review Fernando. Everybody’s good here, but it’s Blanchett who really walks away with this movie. And once again, she proves as to why she is one of the best actresses working today. Meryl Streep aside.
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I completely agree. She was incredible. Cate’s been one of my favorites for a while, and she fully deserves that Oscar (besides, she was horribly snubbed for her Bob Dylan).
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I will only see this for Cate Blanchett! Woody is a hit and miss for me, hope it’ll be the former. The male cast is rather… odd, Andrew Dice Clay??
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Hope it’ll be the former, too. But yeah, Cate is the star here. She’s just mind-blowingly good in the roles. And I wasn’t aware of Andrew Dice Clay before this film. Anything I should know about? Regardless, he was very good in Jasmine.
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Oh I just often heard Clay’s name in the news for some of his shenanigans, he’s a comedian but I don’t think he’s been in any movies, nothing I’ve seen anyway. That’s why I thought the casting was odd, but no matter, Cate is in this 😀
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YOU SON OF A BITCH YOU SAW IT FIVE DAYS BEFORE I EVEN HAD A CHANCE.
I’m just too excited for ANY Woody Allen movie…
Sent from my iPhone
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LOL, I know.
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It comes to iTunes on Tuesday! I have to choose whether to be worried about a 90-minute movie or painstaking days of midterms that are two weeks away! 😦 So jealous of you.
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Screw midterms! Go watch some movies. Who said you can’t be in high school for 8 years? LOL
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Ahahahhhh! If only. I remind my folks I watch movies for a purpose. I’d NEVER get away with saying that if I had 8 years of high school ahahh!
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(And I hope I didn’t insult your mother.)
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Yes, she’s very offended. Crying right now.
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Hahaha
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I have been singing the praises of Cate Blanchett as Best Actress since last Summer when I saw this. Great performance from her…and everyone else for that matter.
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So pleased that you also liked this one, one of my favourites this year!
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It’s great, especially Cate in the lead role.
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Really want to see this. The cast sound brilliant and it’s great to hear that Allen is back on form. Neat little write-up here Fernando!
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Thanks, Mark. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. Both Blanchett and Allen in top form here.
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Woody Allen is on a role. He seems to be producing some of his greatest work all of a sudden!
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Yes. While I wasn’t very fond of To Rome With Love, I liked this one a lot and absolutely loved Midnight in Paris.
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