This movie reminds me a very known quote by a Romanian author, Octavian Paler: "Something you don't feel at the right moment, you will never feel it again." It's that kind of movie that motivates you to live your life as long as you have it and never forget about your old friends and the place you grew, especially the persons you once loved. I learned that something written is more powerful than spoken words. You can easily find out that if you are not surrounded with love, if you don't have someone you want to share your life with, you became lost, confused, sad and maybe depressive (Jim). I finish this movie with tears in my eyes, realizing that this story may be something true among us.
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andreeapdima4 January 2017
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nikkiwood-5488019 December 2016Sometimes we have the pleasure to watching a film that is simple and complicated and honest. This movie is fantastical in that it allows the viewer to experience wish fulfillment in a way that the "adulting" generation lacks. It is romantic and kind. Mark Duplass writes a simple and powerful script that allows Sarah Paulson to shine. Their chemistry is contagious and mimics the innocence of love in youth and life in adulthood. Filmed in shades of grey, it is an artistic homage to what life was like before it unfolded into adulthood. If anyone has strolled down memory lane and recognized where life experience has created the person they've become... then this film is for you. (All of the perfect 90's references don't hurt either.)
Simple and beautiful, it is worth the watch. 7 days of filming - without colour - puts the blockbuster generation to shame.
So much yes. -
cnycitylady6 December 2016Blue Jay is a soft film about everlasting love and reuniting with the version of yourself that you understand the most; one that you probably didn't realize you missed. It follows the same stream of consciousness that most Duplass Brothers film adopt, but it keeps it feeling fresh with the help of a luminous and scene stealing Sarah Paulson.
Our characters are full of that common, but hard to capture on screen, insecurity and awkwardness that makes adulthood so difficult. They clearly want to spend time together but are unsure of the "rules" that they must follow. Their past weighs heavily on them but their affection overshadows, at least for a time, a dark corner of it.
Duplass and Paulson have a fantastic and organic chemistry, saying more with their eyes and body language than most actors can say with a speech. You follow their trepidation with interest and root for them to find some closure or happiness, whether with or without each other, and aren't left unsatisfied. The movie's melodic rhythm drives its duration so smoothly that before you know it you are saying goodbye to characters who seem more like family than friends, both to each other and to the viewer.
A throwback to the Golden Age of Hollywood, this movie is a gem to any movie lover who appreciates the art of storytelling. 7.5/10 -
Red_Identity30 November 2016I didn't even know this film existed until today (thanks to the people mentioning it!). I think it's good. Something about it didn't completely hit me in the way the film wanted to. Sarah Paulson is definitely the best thing about it. She's a revelation, unsurprisingly. She's such a talented actress and I really hope she continues to get more film roles until she eventually wins an Oscar. On the flipside, I do like the writing from Mark Duplass, as I usually do. However, I'm just not too big on him as an actor, as usual (aside from Creep, the only time he impressed me). He's fine, but I feel like a better actor could have given more justice to the role. He's solid, for the most part. His breakdowns and emotional outbursts were not well acted at all and I could see him struggling to convey any deep emotion. I just didn't buy him, he was very surface-level and definitely wasn't in the same league as Paulson. I hope she gains some traction for this.
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Are you in love? Or, do you want to fall in love? Or, are you heart broken? Whatever the case may be, Alex Lehmann's Blue Jay is the perfect remedy. Here is a film so honestly made that it will make your heart melt. Blue Jay is essentially a two handler about two former high school lovers who bump into each other for the first time in two decades.
It is an awkward situation at first. But soon it develops into a very memorable day for the both of them. There are moments of immense joy and pain as they revisit their past through their present. It's like experiencing catharsis. Indie films, when they are really good, can really pack a punch because they are not bound by the liability to placate the Studio bosses, thereby allowing greater liberty to the filmmaker. And, Blue Jay is a very well made indie film and certainly one of the better indies that I have ever seen.
One of the greatest strengths of the film are the acting performances of Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson. The two of them look so natural (the choice monochrome of course helps... color would have drastically toned down the intensity). Both the actors demonstrate a great range of emotions. Duplass looks the more volatile of the two but it is as per the demand of the character. As for Paulson, her smile seems capable of speaking a thousand words. Together, they create magic, which, I daresay, most Hollywood A- listers fail to create these days.
The film has its share of flaws but overall it makes for a wonderful movie viewing experience. If you are a hopeless romantic then this film is certainly for you
For more on the world of cinema, please visit my film blog "A Potpourri of Vestiges". -
aidellero4 December 2016It's the first review I'm writing. Actually, I've never felt the need of writing a review- thought that the score I give is already a good contribution. But Blue Jay is something else. It's the most genuine feeling I've ever felt while watching a movie, in the sense the once I finished it, I didn't feel than it was far from my own reality at all. The way nostalgia was pictured is fascinating. The words that were used were so close to the words that I would have used myself in such a situation that sometimes, I've found myself saying out loud, at the same time, what one of them were saying.
Magical, genuine, sweet, emotional, simple, true. Brilliant. -
ferguson-66 October 2016Greetings again from the darkness. Mark Duplass is the master of awkward. As a writer he excels in awkward encounters, awkward conversations, awkward situations and awkward people. He can even create awkward out minimalism – two people in a simple and normal environment.
A bearded Mr. Duplass stars as Jim, a seemingly normal guy who has returned to his small hometown to pack up his mother's house after her passing. While at the local market, he bumps into his old high school sweetheart Amanda, played by Sarah Paulson, who just happens to be in town visiting her expectant sister. Their awkward grocery aisle reunion leads to a very unusual and yes, awkward evening.
First time director Alexandre Lehmann uses his extensive experience as a cinematographer, and a black & white motif, to create a beautifully filmed story that is both simple and layered. Only one other actor appears in the movie one scene with the great Clu Galager ("The Virginian", The Last Picture Show) as a local merchant who provides a link to the past for Amanda and Jim. The bulk of the time is spent in Jim's mother's house – a literal time capsule that allows for reminiscing for the two former lovers.
Amongst the old familiar clothes, photos, letters, books and audio tapes, Jim and Amanda somehow progress to a bizarre form of role playing/play acting as if they had married young and were now celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. You guessed it awkward. Dinner, dancing, acting silly, jelly beans, Annie Lennox and cutting loose leads them to an awkward bedroom encounter. This moment finally produces an explosion of emotion which uncovers the long-buried source of their break-up shutting down their fantasy game of recapturing the past.
It would be pretty easy to compare the film to Richard Linklater's Before Sunrise (1995) or Before Sunset (2004), and though it has more in common with the latter, this one comes across more raw and melancholy than those more celebrated films. We never once doubt this situation could play out, but the only word to describe two former lovers exploring "what could have been" is awkward. It's a captivating movie to watch and yet another feather in the cap of Duplass Productions. -
annie_geo18 January 20174 settings, 3 actors, 2 colors, 1 day and 80 minutes that will warm your heart.
An emotional story that develops between old school friends who meet again after 20 something years after their ways part. Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson have an amazing chemistry together and deliver high class performance. With well-written dialogues, relatable story line, and good music, it is the one of the best Indie movies of 2016.
Expect to be amused, sad, melancholic, and nostalgic throughout the movie.
I gave it 10 and would recommend it to everyone who appreciates good movies. -
maccas-5636725 January 2019At first, I was like "what is this arty black and white nonsense?!" - but I'm glad I stuck with it, because it features possibly the most authentic and natural guy-girl chemistry since Linklater's Before series.
At times I felt like a fly-on-the-wall, witnessing two real people interacting. And at other times, I felt like I was literally part of their conversations, laughing when they laughed etc. To me, the film had a strong "play" vibe - the kind of thing you'd see in a theater for some University's end-of-year final assessment.
I was already a fan of Mark Duplass's work (though struggling to stop seeing him as the serial killer from "Creep"), yet completely unfamiliar with Sarah Paulson - and whoah, she puts in one hell of a performance in this and I found her stealing the show in many scenes. Glad to discover her via this!
Sometimes I became a little bored though, or found my mind wandering off into reflection of my own life. But ultimately I was always pulled back by a funny line or plot twist. The ending was a bit abrupt in my opinion, and this film won't be for everyone. Still, I found it enjoyable enough for its 80 minutes. -
wxgirl5513 September 2016I love this film. It's perfect. I would not change a thing.
It's the gem I always hope to discover when I go to TIFF, and it's ironic that the large costly studio films seen earlier in the week fell flat and here's this little two-character indie film shot in just 7 days and it blows the heavyweights out of the water.
Sarah Paulson is at the top of her game. She should be nominated and win many awards for her portrayal of Amanda. Yes, she is that good.
The direction, acting, cinematography, editing, script, music... all coalesce to create this perfect little gem. It is bliss to watch and experience.
MOVIE SYNOPSIS:
Jim is back in his childhood home sorting through family belongings after this mother's death.
Amanda is back in town to visit with her sister who's expecting a baby.
Jim and Amanda run into each other at the local grocery store and have a difficult and awkward time acknowledging each other's presence. What is making them so uncomfortable? Grab your popcorn and watch their story unfold.
That's it. That's all I'm saying about the film's story line. The less you know, the sweeter the experience of finding out about these two. But I fell in love with both of them. -
whqvdf23 May 2021It started very promising, but somehow it didn't keep me engaged until the end.
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evanston_dad15 January 2019"Blue Jay" delivers a master class in acting thanks to Sarah Paulson and Mark DuPlass, who play one-time sweethearts who reunite accidentally in their home town. What follows is a painfully sweet and sad story about two people processing the regret they feel about giving up on something that might have been right, but who must move forward with the lives they have.
Much of the ground covered in this film has been covered before, but so what? After all, there are only so many stories and themes out there for artists to explore. What matters are the particulars brought to any one telling, and that's where "Blue Jay" shines. Its improvisational, loosey-goosey vibe feels just right, and makes us feel like we're privileged insiders in this couple's story. Paulson and DuPlass don't miss a beat, and the final scene is a tour de force for both of them.
I wasn't ready for this movie to end when it did, not because the ending felt misplaced, but because I wasn't ready to be away from these people. That's pretty high praise.
Grade: A -
spencergrande624 February 2017A soft and sweet exploration of the nostalgia of a past romance through the present discovery of things, dialogue and suddenly, feelings. The two central performances are wonderful and the black and white cinematography quite lovely, especially the shots of the lake and the surrounding countryside.
What it tries to capture is the magic and allure of the past, of youth and the bliss of a young heart's first love. But also how that isn't reality (reality is in color). The ending doesn't drive this home for me. It's rushed and malformed. We know something is coming, but what and how has it impacted them? What does the intoxication of nostalgia that ended in ruin say about the present revelry in it? -
Characters are unlikable, there is no story of note, acting is mediocre. This is just altogether a bad movie. The atmosphere was impressive but that alone did not carry the movie. Nothing interesting happens. It's a potentially interesting premise but the execution is terrible, short sighted, and boring. The main characters are just bad people and the male is just annoying to look at and listen to. Please find anything else to watch except this.
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beatrisem1 March 2019The movie's plot itself is really simple, therefore it could have turned out quite dull, but the stunning cinematography combined with the brilliant performances by Sarah Paulson (not surprised) and Mark Duplass is what makes it just the opposite of that. They managed to bring a certain realness and sweetness to the screen that will leave people who have an appreciation for good cinematography and acting feeling wholesome.
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James_Lister_821 April 2017You never get over your first love. This is a story about Amanda and Jim. Reconnecting after two decades apart. They spend the day together reconnecting, falling in love, and opening up old wounds.
I love the well-written, dialogue-driven films and when these types of films are done well they rock! It's probably why I love Richard Linklater so much as this film fits his style and this film reminds me of "Before Sunset" which is one of his films; and boy does this film deliver.
Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass knock it out of the park. They were amazing. The chemistry felt so real and just worked on all levels. Also, the choice of making the film black and white really added to the film's atmosphere. The only thing I didn't like about this film was the abrupt ending. But that can be forgiven as it isn't about the destination, it's about the journey getting there that really counts. And like I said this film delivers. This film is definitely worth checking out and you can find it on Netflix. You will not regret watching it. -
solvifannarvidarsson12 October 2016Beautifully written, directed, filmed, recorded and edited - this film brings forward a magical chemistry seldom seen on the 'big screen'.
One can hardly but integrate with the wonderfully true performances of Sarah Paulson and multi-talented Mark Duplass through the firm-yet-relaxed direction of Alexandre Lehmann's unique cinematography, cemented ever so subtly by Christopher Donlon.
Clu Gulager reminds us that true talent, like love, is ageless.
Getting to take part in and leave a legacy like Blue Jay would be a dream come true for almost any actor, filmmaker or expressive artist.
But anyone can take a trip into their own Universe of emotions with this masterpiece. -
classicsoncall29 May 2023I'm all for films dealing with the nostalgia of lost love, but this at times was somber, poignant and depressing. It begins slowly and awkwardly, as Jim (Mark Duplass) and Amanda (Sarah Paulson) meet by chance in a supermarket on their respective return to a California hometown. Over jellybeans and beer, the former couple relive their past by way of keepsake mementoes and a taped recording they made twenty years earlier when in the throes of a teenage romance. Now she's married with college age sons and he's an unemployed carpenter down on his luck and life both. Following a dinner Amanda makes during her extended reunion with Jim, they discuss their 'magical' life, which leads to a somewhat flaky and off-beat reversion back to their teenage personalities, listening to Annie Lenox and jumping on furniture. As their passions almost collide, Amanda calls a halt as she remembers she's married, while Jim finally says the three words that he should have said two decades earlier when they were faced with a scary decision. I have to wonder how many viewers might have been caught up in a similar situation, maybe without the same details, but with a regret over things that might have been.
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yusufpiskin16 November 2020Wow. Well, I was looking for a movie that would hit me like a ton of bricks, and I found it on accident. I started to go with an old favorite, but this popped out and caught my eye instead. I've been a fan of the Duplass brother's since way back in The Puffy Chair, mumblecore days. They've really managed to do indie movies the right way all this time, and now their films are all grown up.
Mark Duplass not only plays one of the only two characters (across from Sarah Paulson) but he also wrote and produced this film. Paulson herself is the powerhouse she always is, of course. With this film, Mark really continues to prove that he's genuinely a master at not only writing, but acting with, genuine emotion and really pulling you into a thoughtful, heart-wrenching experience.
Blue Jay is one of the most striking indie films I've seen in awhile. It was filmed sequentially over just 7 days. Instead of using a traditional camera set up, it's the first film shot entirely on Canon's high ISO ME2OF-SH, developed for military and security use. It looks like a black cube and is designed to capture HD-quality video in near-darkness. There's no built in power source or built in recording. The low light ability also allowed them the benefit of not having to use stage lights, and some scenes were filmed with as little light as LED's, lamps and other practical lighting, or even Christmas lights. The camera was also capable of inexpensively allowing them to get full framed close ups, without dealing with all the equipment and cost that would normally accompany that.
In my opinion, this camera choice made Blue Jay a very unique stand out, especially compared to other recent indie films that are both louder and busier. It created a very rich, beautiful black and white that's been minimally processed after the fact.
The film is peppered with beautiful shots, and the way Lehmann utilized the camera, you're pulled in close with Paulson and Duplass, it makes it very intimate and keeps you involved. There's not a boring moment, and you consistently feel as if you're right there.
The absolute kicker for me, that completely left me stunned? That was reading after the fact that not only was this movie improvised, but it was Sarah Paulson's first time doing improv. There was no script. They were given a summary of the movie and their characters, and the rest was total improvisation. After reading interviews, many scenes had a few different tales, until they became comfortable enough with what they were going for to convey it the best way possible. In some instances, that meant parsing it down, such as when they're outside looking at the stars and they're saying very little but communicating so much.
All of these things work together to make this film an absolute treasure to watch. I don't like going into the plot, especially because there's major spoilers if I were to do so. But suffice it to say that it's a rollercoaster. At first you're feeling kind of awkward along with the characters. Some time goes by and you feel them sinking into a comfortable space of nostalgia and taking you with them. A bit later and you're grinning ear to ear along as they are. Then suddenly, multiple times, there must have been dust kicked up in the room you're in, cause you're crying. The plot is just a whole ass punch in the gut, for many reasons at different times, but it's such a good hurt. -
DoubleMaitre8 October 2023The movie is inherently nostalgic and melancholic. It is beautiful nonetheless. A perfect illustration of the fact that there are no closures because nothing is ever really over.
The movie is heartfelt, and you can tell it's the product of Mark Duplass's personal experience, of what happened or maybe of what he wished had happened.
I will say, however, that the reasons why this movie is not on par with, say, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind, are twofold.
The first is the dialogues. Most of the time they are okay, but probably a bit lacking in depth or ingenuity.
The other is Marks Duplass's personal performance. It was not terrible but I feel like someone else could have done the job better. Something about him is not entirely convincing. My issue with his personae is somehow the same issue I had with the dialogues: it's in this grey area between the unsaid and the said too much.
Overall, this is a good movie, and you should watch it. It will make you think, and, perhaps more importantly, it will make you feel. -
brandon_foore20 September 2019Filmed entirely in black and white with only 3 actors credited in the film, Blue Jay was an absolute revelation. The two main actors share incredible chemistry and Sarah Paulson is absolutely incredible in this. A indy gem and a must watch for everyone
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MickyG3331 October 20236.8 stars.
What do I find intriguing about this film, not a whole lot. Maybe it's the hues of black-and-white, because these indie type films like to change things up now and again. If it were in color, it would probably be even less impactful than it was for me (which explains the b&w). I usually love movies like this, it really delves deep into the emotional connection of two normal people who are getting together again after many years of being apart. Evidently they had a short-lived but special connection, but for some reason it didn't work out all those years ago.
What is glaringly, pretentious and completely not authentic is the dialogue itself. What? How can that be, it would seem this is the most genuine part of the film. Actually, it's misleading and realistic it is not. The mannerisms, and the words are too slow and painstakingly, overstated and overdramatized. A realistic movie would be one where it's less serious with faster and more awkward interaction, with less pausing and staring (who stares so much besides creepers?) and these dramatic pauses would be nonexistent.
I am a lot like this, but 95% of the population isn't. People just aren't this artsy and deeply emotional folks. Only the writers and actors who make these films are like this in someway, but most of the people out there or not. You have to capture the normal population and not the artsy fartsies. -
davidneff-852882 August 2019Short and pleasant, definitely worth a watch if you're into romantic movies.
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urema-19 July 20227.19 / 10
After not seeing each other for over 20 years, two teenage sweethearts Jim (Mark Duplass) and Amanda (Sarah Paulson) bump into each other spend 24 hours together. They are both back in their small home town in California - Jim is back in town as his mother has passed away and he got fired from his job in Tucson. Amanda is back in town to visit her pregnant sister.
What starts off as a simple cup of coffee at the Blue Jay cafe to catch up, turns into a full day and night of reminiscing on their childhood and past together, and getting to know each other as the adults they are now.
The more they think of the times they had together, the more their complicated feelings for each other come up, and the more that their current situations in life seem empty. Jim has fallen to bouts of anger and Amanda suffers depression.
Is the past too much to relive again? And is the present worth giving up for your first love?
It is difficult to separate and forget the past. Your developmental years and those whom you spend your time with has a profound effect on the adult will become.
The film is filled with funny, tear jerking, and upsetting nostalgia / "remember when" moments. There are so many really sweet and beautiful moments in the film - the old shopkeeper, them play acting again as adults etc.
The complicated romantic tension shadows the entire film and performances. It is clear from the get go that there is something that tore these two apart, and also a clear reason they were together.
Shot in black and white to give a "timeless" feeling to their meeting again, as if their feelings were trapped in the past also.
The film is weak in terms of set design, wardrobe etc - there is nothing outstanding or special in this regard. Most of the focus is about Duplass and Paulson's chemistry etc. These two actors were really good together, and the dinner/egg noodles scene will make you cry with laughter.
Worth a watch if you want a universe of feelings and complicated relationships squeezed into the form of two former lovers. -
I'm bored out of my mind. The conversation is kindof mindnumbing. How did this rate so highly?