REVIEW FROM THE PEW By Rabbi Jerry Ram Cutler BLUE JASMINE The reason I go to see a Woody Allen movie is to sit, relax and laugh. And, Woody, like a nail driven into balsa wood, always comes through. “Blue Jasmine,” however, is a bit more dramatic with nary a smile or even a laugh. Don’t get me wrong, as the Wood Man has directed a beautifully written and thoughtful movie. The problem for me is his main character is reminiscent of “A Streetcar Named Desire’s,” Blanche Dubois. She is beautiful, eccentric, bright and a psychopath. Her name is Jasmine played brilliantly by Cate Blanchett. Ms. Blanchett, one of the premiere actresses of our day, climbs up and down the staircase of profound and troubled emotions. Her once opulent and storied life in New York is shattered after her marriage with her husband(Alec Baldwin), a womanizer and shady businessman, comes to an end. She moves in with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins), who is divorced from Augie (Andrew Dice Clay) and living in a low-income apartment with her two young sons. Jasmine disapproves of Augie and her current boyfriend Chili (Bobby Cannavale) both of whom she considers losers. Not realizing the instability of her sister, Ginger’s patience is tested as she doesn’t know how to deal with quixotic Jasmine. Allen’s writing and direction are flawless it’s just that I have become ‘accustomed to his farce.’ I wish this time the iconic humorist, would have stayed away from ‘Tennessee’ and concentrated on Brooklyn. If your passion is a serious but very good Woody Allen film, go ‘Blue.’ 3 Bagels out of 4
Posted on: Wed, 24 Jul 2013 20:13:26 +0000
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