BY CAMILLE BORODEY, Assistant Scene Editor
Due to the recent abuse allegations against “Blue Jasmine’s” writer and director, Woody Allen, Cate Blanchett’s chances of winning best actress may be slightly tarnished, which is a shame (for her not, Allen) because Blanchett delivers a tour de force performance as a woman on the verge of cracking at any second.
Blanchett plays Jasmine, a spoiled New York socialite, who moves to San Francisco to live with her working class sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins).
Trying to get her life together, Jasmine begrudgingly takes a job as a receptionist at a dentist’s office and begins taking online classes so she can become an interior designer.
Jasmine is possibly the most dislikeable protagonist in any film of 2013. She’s extremely snobby and self-centered, and she also constantly belittles Ginger’s boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Cannavale). “You choose losers because that’s what you think you deserve, and that’s why you’ll never have a better life,” Jasmine tells Ginger.
Upon arriving at Ginger’s apartment, Jasmine can barely hide her discontent for the small place. “It’s got a casual charm,” Jasmine remarks in a condescending tone. Even though she is completely broke after her ex-husband is sent to prison, Jasmine still insists on wearing designer clothes, which are usually a shade of white or beige, and she flies first-class.
Throughout the film, Jasmine reflects on her relationship with her ex-husband Hal (Alec Baldwin), a wealthy businessman. While Hal showers her with jewelry and other expensive gifts, Jasmine turns a blind eye to the fact that Hal is clearly a crook. Hal’s scheming even played a part in the demise of Ginger’s first marriage.
Even though Jasmine has a classist attitude, Allen still makes viewers feel sympathy for her. She may be very selfish and delusional, but Jasmine is also suffering from mental illness, and she often talks to herself in public. It doesn’t help that she numbs her pain by constantly mixing prescription pills with alcohol.
Blanchett is stunning in her role. Jasmine is a very dramatic person, but Blanchett’s performance never feels like too much. She portrays Jasmine with a variety of emotions. One moment she is happily basking in her own glory and the next she is a drunken mess, mumbling to herself about her cheating ex -husband.
The film’s heart lies in the relationship between Ginger and Chili. Jasmine cannot seem to fathom how her sister Ginger, who bags groceries for a living, would ever want to be with Chili, a mechanic. Although their relationship is threatened when Ginger has a brief affair with a man she meets at a party (Louis C.K..), Ginger and Chili’s love prevails. Their relationship may not be perfect, but the couple proves money isn’t a necessary factor for maintaining an endearing relationship, a concept Jasmine cannot seem to grasp.
I’m also pleased to see Sally Hawkins receive an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Hawkins is a very underrated actress and always a delight.
Allen is no stranger to writing movies about neurotic characters, but “Blue Jasmine” may be his most heart wrenching film. Jasmine is not a horrible person, but a woman in denial of her own mental illness.
“Anxiety, nightmares and a nervous breakdown, there’s only so many traumas a person can withstand until they take to the streets and start screaming,” Jasmine tells her nephews when they question her mental state.
