On board of the plane, I was already hooked - and God knows I don't get hooked easily when flying. Jasmine's neurotic dialogue - well, monologue - engulfs us and encapsulates everything else that is developed throughout the movie, starting also with the fantastic performance of actress Cate Blanchett.
What-a-performance, Cate.
This woman, Jasmine, carries the entire movie on her shoulders as what starts as a pretty comic story unfolds: the money, the parties, her "friends", the easy life, the appearances, the cowardice (hers), the Hamptons, NYC... Everything that contributes to turning your laughter into sorrow and possibly tears will pour out of her, little by little.
Jasmine is as fragile as the flower - even more so when you learn that her actual name is Jeannette: if you cannot bear to say your name out loud, something is wrong... How can you define yourself - let alone accept yourself - if you turn your name down and hide it behind small talk?
All the years Jasmine spent in NYC and traveling the world with her adulterous husband, she probably knew about the financial scams, the other women... But she lived her best life, closing her eyes and trusting him and his activities because that was most certainly the easiest way out. And now that her socialite world has fallen apart, she remembers she has a (poor) sister. And to avoid hitting the ground right then and there, she is going to hang on to that sister, sort of.
All the years Jasmine spent in NYC and traveling the world with her adulterous husband, she probably knew about the financial scams, the other women... But she lived her best life, closing her eyes and trusting him and his activities because that was most certainly the easiest way out. And now that her socialite world has fallen apart, she remembers she has a (poor) sister. And to avoid hitting the ground right then and there, she is going to hang on to that sister, sort of.
The clash between the two worlds is inevitable and instead of seizing her one chance to open her eyes and become a full, real and independent human being, Jasmine keeps going the wrong way; she still looks for the rich man who will take her away while Blue Moon plays in the background, and she puts everything into place to rebuild the superficial, mirage-like world she once thought she belonged to. And so she falls...again. This time, after having turned her own sister against herself, she ends up alone, in the middle of the street.
No redemption in sight. No second chance.
The cynical and analytical eye Woody Allen throws once more on our society - and women - is cruel, probably even more than usual.
Woody, you did it again!
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Devo ancora vederlo, accidenti! Sono fuori tempo massimo, avevo perso l'anteprima a cui potevo andare per lavoro, volevo andare al cinema durante le feste ma non l'ho fatto e ancora non l'ho recuperato! Sono curiosa, poi adoro lei come attrice...
ReplyDeleteGuarda, lei è semplicemente fantastica e, secondo me, porta avanti tutto il film che, comunque, è valido! Io ormai affitto i film che mi sono persa al cinema (una lista lunga 2 chilometri) su iTunes (tra l'altro in lingua originale, un'altra cosa) e me li guardo con calma appena ho un attimo. Mai provato?
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