Today sees the release of Blue Jasmine, the latest film to be both written and directed by Woody Allen. The plot follows Cate Blanchett’s character Jasmine, a wealthy socialite in New York who arrives at her sister’s comparatively lowly apartment with a story to tell. Her narrative hops and jumps from one time frame to another, flitting between scenes shared with husband Hal, played by Alec Baldwin to later encounters with characters such as Dwight Westlake, a wealthy wannabe congressman. Cate Blanchett plays the nervy character to perfection, hardly surprising as Allen is renowned for making his lead woman the priority in terms of casting.
Cate Blanchett portrays the snobbish ‘Park Avenue Princess’ with the same with as much grace and conviction as she lends to her tear-stained downfall, and Woody Allen’s focus on her mental gymnastics is poignant. Whilst of course not a Richard Curtis-esque heartwarmer, it is a highly recommended option for one of those hastily planned cinema on a blustery autumnal evening.
Blue Jasmine, in UK cinemast from 27th September.