Jack Goes Confidential: Woody Allen’s ‘BLUE JASMINE’ Has Oscar Taking Notice

Like THE WAY, WAY BACK, the film distributor of BLUE JASMINE is using a platform releasing pattern for Woody Allen’s latest written and directed movie..

BLUE JASMINE opened in just a handful of major market movieplexes a month ago where it scored one of the biggest per screen averages for an independent movie this year.

Sony Classic Pictures then added additional markets and screens each subsequent week where the so-called per screen averages continued to perform extremely well.

And this weekend Woody’s annual cinematic contribution opens in the Kansas City market,  but just on a handful of screens.

Translation: In limited runs here as well.

I know for a fact that a lot of people—especially here in flyover land—don’t really care much about seeing Woody on the screen. And maybe would prefer not to. So let me set your minds at ease, Allen’s not IN it. He just wrote the screenplay and directed it.

Kinda like what he did with MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

So what is BLUE JASMINE all about and what can you expect?

For one you’ll witness a (probable) sure bet Oscar nomination performance by Cate Blanchett for her riveting portrayal of Jasmine, a egocentric New York socialite married to high finance genius Alec Baldwin.

The problem being—he’s a crook.

When Baldwin’s house of cards collapses and the government takes everything that’s left, our well-heeled Manhattan princess finds herself completely down and out. Yet unwilling to accept reality.

Think Ruth Madoff after Bernie dropped the bomb

Now what? Her only possible option is to head west to San Francisco and move in with her sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins) whose lifestyle is the complete opposite to everything Jasmine had been used to.

Making matters worse, Ginger has two noisy kids in her apartment, not to mention her blue-collar ex-husband Augie,  played to perfection by Andrew Dice Clay.

Can Jasmine reinvent herself?

Maybe, but not until coming to terms with the here and now. And not until she lays off the Xanax and vodka she’s relying on to cope.

All while flirting on the edge of a total nervous breakdown.

I guess you could call it a comedic drama. Or better, a tragedy presented in a series of flashbacks to the good old days and told to perfection in 98 neurotic minutes of frazzled screen time.

Also on board for this psychological road trip are Bobby Cannavale, Louis C.K. and Peter Sarsgaard as Jasmine’s new, widowed man in her life. But for how long?

Yet when all is said and done it’s Cate Blanchett’s brilliant performance that this film is all about. I highly recommend it.

BLUE JASMINE scoring a delusional B+ grade.

(Reviewed at Glenwood Arts Theatre)

JACK GOES TO THE MOVIES every Friday morning at 6:40 a.m. and 8:40 a.m. on NewsRadio KMBZ