4 stars
Blue Jasmine, writer and director Woody Allen’s 45th film, is as engrossing as the best of his recent works. The film marks Allen’s return to a setting within the United States, though now in San Francisco rather than his native New York. Allen continues his creative streak that began with 2011’s magnificent “Midnight in Paris,” though with far more paranoia and underlying darkness.
Cate Blanchett stars as Jasmine, the former wife of a Bernie Madoff-style financial crook (played with hilarity by Alec Baldwin), who is forced to move in with her sister in San Francisco. And that premise, while deceivingly simple, lays ground for perhaps Allen’s best character study since 1989’s Crimes and Misdemeanors. Blanchett gives an Oscar-worthy performance in the lead role, showing Jasmine’s psychological flaws and insecurities without ever seeming heavy handed. Allen’s writing is similarly excellent, providing even the smallest characters (Louis C.K.’s bit role comes to mind) gems of dialogue.
And just as Allen explored the nuances of New York life in his classic films, San Francisco acts as another character in Jasmine’s world. Flashback scenes set in New York City only serve to amplify the comparison, as the film shows Jasmine swinging back and forth between her old New York lifestyle and a new one in San Francisco. It is this tension, as Jasmine rockets back and forth between her old and new lives, which makes the film’s exploration of Jasmine’s hold on reality riveting.
All in all, this film transcends the almost-genre of a “Woody Allen film” to be a true success in its own right. It may feature the white credits in Windsor font and a soundtrack of classic jazz, but Jasmine is a unique character all her own, and one that is truly fascinating to explore.
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