Closing on Thursday, October 31st 2013

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) is a New York socialite who has spent years reliant on her wealthy businessman husband Hal (Alec Baldwin). When a financial scandal emerges, Jasmine has to escape the city. Dazed and confused, she turns up at her sister Ginger’s (Sally Hawkins) apartment in San Francisco. Jasmine is immediately contemptuous of Ginger’s boyfriend Chili (Bobby Cannavale), and of what she considers their low-rent lifestyle, yet Jasmine needs their support as she is incapable of doing much for herself, and booze and drugs aren’t helping in the circumstances.

A committed drama ruminating on class and the post-crash economy which references A Streetcar Named Desire and features a performance from Cate Blanchett that seems destined to garner award nominations in the coming months, Blue Jasmine serves evidence that Woody Allen remains a daring and surprising filmmaker not to be underestimated. (Notes by Michael Hayden.)

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