ComedyFan2010 It is not surprising considering who is the director, but the movie is very masterfully done. It shows disturbing life situation, broken people, makes one think.The highlight of it all is Cate Blanchette's acting. I don't know if she got any awards for this movie but I surely hope so. She showed the deep character of Jasmine. She is not one of the people one wants to have in one's life but one gets her pain and can sympathize. She sure is a snob, she thinks she can get what she wants when trying, but she also is a snob not seeing that people who are different aren't necessarily bad and losers. Add to this her nervous breakdown and we have an amazing character.The rest also adds a lot to the film. It is hard not to love Ginger (Sally Hawkins) and her choice in man actually seems to be healthier no matter how poor they are. Bobby Cannavale is a perfect Chili who we are happy she ends up with. Having his bad sides he is still a decent guy who loves Ginger and isn't just using her. His happy character is also a great contrast to snobs.Nice to see Andrew Dice Clay and Louis C. K. being outside their usual comedy selves and they do a great job. Especially Andrew Dice Clay. Alec Baldwin doesn't get the chance to show all his talents but we still see what kind of a man he is supposed to portray.

rooprect I won't go into the reasons why I was never a Woody Allen fan; suffice it to say I went into this movie armed with the XXL tub of popcorn to hurl at the screen. With some pebbles & broken glass mixed in for good measure.98 minutes later I was ready to sing the praises of this film, and today 24 hours later I still can't get it out of my head. "Blue Jasmine" is an exceptional film, and I'm not just talking about Cate Blanchett's well-deserved-Academy-award-winning performance. More about that in a minute, but let's touch on why the story is such a worthwhile experience."Blue Jasmine" is a loose, modernized retelling of the classic "Streetcar Named Desire". Cate Blanchett does an amazing job of playing the delusional southern belle character "Blanche" this time around as a delusional Madison Avenue socialite "Jasmine" who, like Blanche, has lost everything except her stubborn insistence that she is still one of the social elite. Imagine the cast of Sex & the City with their credit cards taken away and with the job skills of a pomeranian. You can imagine how this story is the ultimate tale of irony.Where this differs significantly from the original Streetcar is in the portrayal of how Jasmine/Blanche deludes herself. Cate Blanchett's performance shows us a deeply conflicted and tortured person, as opposed to the original Blanche who had her rose colored glasses on hi-beam. In the DVD extras, Woody Allen specifically mentions that he wanted to explore this angle because that's how he believes delusion works in the real world. The deluded individual does not skip merrily through life but rather, suffers an agonizing existence caught between reality and feeble lies. This lends a very powerful authenticity to the story, once you realize that Jasmine can't even fool herself. Pay close attention to Jasmine's mannerisms as she tells her lies; she is not carefree and nonchalant. She stutters, she is evasive, twitchy and very uncomfortable. This realistic portrayal of a mentally unbalanced individual is what draws us in and creates a connection with the audience. As she slowly unravels, we are drawn in even tighter to see how it all plays out.Oh, on that note I want to issue an anti-spoiler: significant plot elements are changed from the original Streetcar, so even if you are familiar with that story you can still enjoy this as something new.If you don't know Streetcar, even better. Seeing this story for the first time will really captivate you from start to finish. All performances were excellent, and I mean excellent, with a notable nod to Sally Hawkins who plays Jasmine's loyal sister Ginger (Stella). She conveys a sense of puppy dog naïveté without seeming outright stupid. It's the perfect counterbalance to Jasmine's jaded, cynical, woman-of-the-world personality. Sally's dramatic moment near the end is one of the most powerful scenes in the film.But of course, every dramatic scene with Cate Blanchett is hands down amazing. She does an excellent job of portraying creeping madness (with hints of chemical addiction?) in a way that is absolutely over the top, but very appropriate. She is the equivalent of a mumbling bag lady, but with a Gucci bag. Don't miss this flick. Even Woody Allen haters, I guarantee you'll be very impressed.

huggibear This is a movie difficult to rate because the acting is superb, but the 'closure' was non-existent. I don't tend to care for movies that have no closure, unless they indicate a possible sequel. I think this is my very first Woody Allen flick viewing as well, but I'm not certain. I don't know his writing styles just yet. I'd be open to watching some of his newer pieces of work though and go from there. The acting makes this movie worthy of a viewing, but the resolve is unsettling. Form your own opinions of this one. I just happen to like finished films with good lessons learned. In a way, it teaches us how to move on or how not to get involved in situations such as this where we depend on others for our own way. Now I have to figure out the way all on my own. I can relate! Hope to do just that some day!

Amy Adler Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) is one troubled woman. After finding the high life with rich, rich investment guru hubby Hal (Alec Baldwin), things fell apart. Hal was the twin of Bernie Madoff, lost his client's monies, and is now in prison. Maybe its a good thing, for he was a serial cheater on Jasmine as well. Now, with very few options, Jasmine goes to San Francisco to stay indefinitely with her warm but ditzy sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). On arrival, Ginger welcomes Jasmine but is aghast when Jazz confides that she hid away some jewels and traveled first class. This makes sis ponder, what did Jasmine know about her husband's scheming? When they were girls, Jasmine was Jeanette until she "re-invented" herself as a Manhattan socialite who had little or no time for Ginger. Also, long ago, Ginger and her former husband, Augie (Andrew Dice Clay) won the lotto but lost everything when Hal convinced them to invest in his company. So, tensions are severe. A grocery clerk, Ginger has two sons and a loving but uncouth boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Cannavale). Naturally, Jasmine advises her to dump this man and look elsewhere. Without a job or a means to get back on her feet, Jasmine tries to earn an online interior decorator's license. When she fails, Jazz reluctantly gets a job as a dentist's receptionist. But, one fateful night, Jasmine gets invited to a society event, drags along Ginger, and spies relief. A handsome man and wealthy man, Dwight (Peter Sarsgaard) casts his eye on beautiful Jasmine and she immediately plots to marry him. But, can she get a ring on her finger before he finds out who she is? This excellent movie, torn from the headlines of the Madoff scandal, is a serious turn by Woody. It recalls his stellar film Cries and Misdemeanors, with a touch of humor amid the somber chaos. Blanchett excels as the conniving diva who swears she didn't know what her ex-husband was doing and finds middle class life unbearable. Hawkins, Baldwin, Cannavale, Clay, Sarsgaard, and all of the others are terrific, too. Cheers, also, for the great scenery, costumes, and polished direction. More importantly, the script is tantalizing as it asks the viewer to ponder what is the worth of a man or woman; is it wealth or is it a loving heart? Even this question is nuanced in fifty shades. All Woody fans MUST catch it and most of the rest of the planet should watch it, too.