the reviews have been quite lukewarm for this period piece
but woody allen it is and blue jasmine was a cracker of a film
besides - film night and not much on the menu that has any appeal
also colin firth barely puts a foot wrong so that pretty well sealed it
the film opens in berlin in 1928 at a large theatre for a magic show
firth plays stanley crawford on stage as master illusionist wei ling soo
he performs a few tricks then is seen ranting backstage to his assistants
perfection has not been attained so the insults fly - ah - he very arrogant
a fellow magician is also backstage and asks for stanley's assistance
stanley is also an expert at debunking people claiming to be mediums
a young lady is working as such on a rich family in the south of france
stanley has a favourite aunt living there so a visit there is appealing
the two lads then seen in an open-top sports car on the cote d'azur
nice car - shame about the editted in backdrops of the local scenery
however the cars, fashions and music seem genuine for the era
australian jackie weaver plays grace - the matriach of the family
her husband has died and she has asked sophie to make contact
other members of the family are wary of sophies hold over grace
of course she is very attractive though stanley is not taken in
he is rude, abrupt and very dismissive of her apparant powers
not so grace's son brice who serenades her with a ukelele
quite funny actually with his very off key singing/playing
he has proposed but sophie is somehow attracted to stanley
these 2 then seen taking a day drive to visit his aunt vanessa
on the way back the car breaks down and stanley plays mechanic
several hours later and no car-go as very heavy rain sets in
they run to an abandoned observatory and arrive soaking wet
no sign of engine grease - then he hits the open roof button
gazing out at the moon and stars in the sky - ah - film title
next thing and in one scene stanley is suddenly a believer
the power of love - whatever - seems quite incogrouous
even colin firth's acting skills can't make this scene work
more so when his aunt is badly injured in a car accident
at the hospital he is seen saying an out-loud prayer to god
almost cloying - then he snaps back to his old cynical self
his aloofness and arrogance then flatly rejecting sophie
solves the case and then seen in a great scene with his aunt
she magically fully recovered and talks him around to his truth
sophie is the girl for him and of course she answers his call
her ghost-like presence in the room and tapping responses
she suddenly appears and falls into his arms - happy ending
seen coming from the beginning so no surprises with that
quite a confusing film really - not the storyline but the intent
presumably woody allen wanted to tip his hat to a bygone era
when life was simple, love was all and fashion was dominant
films were focussed on character and not the sets and/or action
nor the (lack of) technical wizardry and blatant oddities are ok
colin firth certainly saved the film with his very skilled acting
me thinking that he really is england's own george clooney
the women swooning - both on screen and in the audience
i don't think he will be expecting award nominations
the reviews pretty accurate then - lukewarm it is
glad to have seen it but not rave material...
