Blue Jasmine (2013): Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins

Blue Jasmine, a Woody Allen film, is a disturbing expose about a self absorbed housewife, Jasmine, Cate Blanchett, who turns a blind eye for years as to how her husband, Hal, Alec Baldwin, makes a living and his cheating ways.   In other words, Jasmine lives in denial with the sweet frosting of society life and oodles of  tainted money. These two live an over the top lifestyle where consumption, showiness and affected behavior is a norm within the social circle.  When Hal declares love for a younger woman, Jasmine's world unravels and sends this self centered and self destructive soul down a rabbit hole of terror, chaos and poverty.  Of course, Jasmine is devious and obviously a broken woman from the start who ruins the life of the ex-husband, her relationship with her stepson and eventually her own life.    She doesn't see her own culpability in the situation and instead is brutally twisted, conniving and ultimately a sad individual.

    

 

 

    

Landing on her sister's, Ginger, Sally Hawkins, doorstep in a gorgeous outfit looking a million dollars she embarks on a new life yet Jasmine's vapid personality, booze and pills never jump starts her onto a more real and satisfying journey.  She uses everyone that comes into her life, thus never growing or becoming the person she is meant to be and instead continues to destroy more lives in her path. 

Blanchett's performance is brilliant and a betting mind would state Oscar worthy for Best Actress in a film 2013.   The audience actually feels the craziness of this character.  Blue Jasmine, is a movie that will not be forgotten and instead remind people of the tragedy of the human condition.  More often than not -  how a person can live in denial, inflict pain and create chaos on oneself as well as others.  

NOTE:  For fashionistas - Cate Blanchett's apparel in the film is gorgeous.  She basically wears the same stunning ladylike pieces over and over again.