Blue Jasmine – review

A scene from Woody Allen’s film Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine is the latest offering from Woody Allen and sees Cate Blanchett in the leading role – in the kind of form that may well get Oscar interest come awards season – as New York socialite Jasmine, who is forced to slum it in San Francisco with her sister Ginger [Sally Hawkins] after her high-rolling businessman husband Hal [Alec Baldwin] is uncovered as fraudster and a love-cheat and leaves her strapped for cash.

Jasmine, formerly Jeannette, is a kind of Hollywood version of a Hyacinth Bucket (or “Bouquet”) from Keeping Up Appearances, as she looks down on her sister and her macho, boozy boyfriend, Chilli [Bobby Cannavale], as she is used to the high-life and has to begrudgingly live in the working-class world.

She constantly refers back to the luxuries and class she has become accustomed to – much to the annoyance of Ginger, who is not only giving Jasmine a place to stay, but has, along with her ex-husband Augie [Andrew Dice Clay] lost all the money that they won on the lottery by being coaxed into investing it into one of Hal’s corrupt and ultimately failed ventures.

This misfortune ruined Ginger and Augie’s marriage and prospects, but Jasmine plays the innocent party, continually denying she was aware of her husband’s dodgy dealings, especially when challenged by Chilli.

Chilli and Jasmine continually bicker, mainly due to Jasmine saying that Ginger deserves better than him and Chilli saying that she only shows an interest in her sister now as she is desperate and has nowhere else to turn.

Jasmine is seemingly too oblivious, or is just so used to boasting, to realise the irritation she is causing with her constant reminiscing and measuring things up against her past life of luxury, and we see regular flashbacks to her time with Hal – as well as getting a window into the cheating ways of Jasmine’s shameless husband as she remains blinkered.

She is forced to take a step onto the bottom rung of the social/working ladder, attempting a secretarial role at a local dentist, but it is not long before she is magnetised towards wealth after chancing an invitation to a sophisticated party and she is soon involved with a well-to-do man called Dwight [Peter Sarsgaard], who has ambitions of becoming a congressman.

She drags Ginger along with her to the party, and partly due to Jasmine’s influence and pressure on her to do better than the likes of Augie and Chill, she finds herself in the arms of a charming, funny and feisty older man, Al [Louis C.K.].

Will Jasmine learn the lessons of her past heartache and financial ruin, or will her paranoia and pride cloud her judgement the decisions she makes as she tries to rebuild her life?

There is also the small matter of her estranged son, Danny [Alden Ehrenreich].

Blanchett is captivating as the emotional rollercoaster that is Jasmine.

It is a performance (and character) that recalls Blanche DuBois from Tennessee Williams’ classic play A Streetcar Named Desire, especially when the voices and turmoil build in Jasmine’s head and stress radiates from her body, as she is taut like a stretched elastic band.

There are notable turns from Alec Baldwin in a pitch-perfect role and Louis C.K. and Sally Hawkins prove inspired casting.

This is an intriguing tale, with interesting themes and character studies at work, and as someone who is not really a Woody Allen fan, I was more than pleasantly surprised.

Blue Jasmine (12A)

Directed by Woody Allen
Starring: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Louis C.K., Peter Sarsgaard, Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale, Alden Ehrenreich, Andrew Dice Clay.
Running time: 98 minutes

Blue Jasmine is showing at the Hackney Picturehouse in from 27 September and throughout October