I have recently lost interest in Woody Allen movies. I just got worn down by too many not-so-hot movies. So my plan was to put "Blue Jasmine" on and fast forward to the Dice Clay parts. But as soon as the movie began I couldn't bring myself to miss any of it. Wow. I sucked me in like few movies ever have. The normally annoying Cate Blanchett delivers a performance of a lifetime. The rest of the cast is outstanding. Even the always detestable Louis C.K. was good. It's a terrific movie.

It's what you can expect from a Woody Allen movie. The thing that maybe makes this movie worth while is the superb acting of the lead characters. But other than that, the movie is predictably depressing in its attempt to portray the struggles of a middle aged woman who has hit rock bottom after a failed marriage. Without spoiling the plot, the ending is classically Woody Allen too, completely random.

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) is one troubled woman. After finding the high life with rich, rich investment guru hubby Hal (Alec Baldwin), things fell apart. Hal was the twin of Bernie Madoff, lost his client's monies, and is now in prison. Maybe its a good thing, for he was a serial cheater on Jasmine as well. Now, with very few options, Jasmine goes to San Francisco to stay indefinitely with her warm but ditzy sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkins). On arrival, Ginger welcomes Jasmine but is aghast when Jazz confides that she hid away some jewels and traveled first class. This makes sis ponder, what did Jasmine know about her husband's scheming? When they were girls, Jasmine was Jeanette until she "re-invented" herself as a Manhattan socialite who had little or no time for Ginger. Also, long ago, Ginger and her former husband, Augie (Andrew Dice Clay) won the lotto but lost everything when Hal convinced them to invest in his company. So, tensions are severe. A grocery clerk, Ginger has two sons and a loving but uncouth boyfriend, Chili (Bobby Cannavale). Naturally, Jasmine advises her to dump this man and look elsewhere. Without a job or a means to get back on her feet, Jasmine tries to earn an online interior decorator's license. When she fails, Jazz reluctantly gets a job as a dentist's receptionist. But, one fateful night, Jasmine gets invited to a society event, drags along Ginger, and spies relief. A handsome man and wealthy man, Dwight (Peter Sarsgaard) casts his eye on beautiful Jasmine and she immediately plots to marry him. But, can she get a ring on her finger before he finds out who she is? This excellent movie, torn from the headlines of the Madoff scandal, is a serious turn by Woody. It recalls his stellar film Cries and Misdemeanors, with a touch of humor amid the somber chaos. Blanchett excels as the conniving diva who swears she didn't know what her ex-husband was doing and finds middle class life unbearable. Hawkins, Baldwin, Cannavale, Clay, Sarsgaard, and all of the others are terrific, too. Cheers, also, for the great scenery, costumes, and polished direction. More importantly, the script is tantalizing as it asks the viewer to ponder what is the worth of a man or woman; is it wealth or is it a loving heart? Even this question is nuanced in fifty shades. All Woody fans MUST catch it and most of the rest of the planet should watch it, too.

Blue Jasmine is a remarkably entertaining film. It hides a great amount of clever ideas about class in contemporary American society while telling a humorous story about two sisters who occupy two distinct spheres within America's strict class hierarchy. On the high end is Jasmine Francis, a New York socialite who is accustomed to living off of Park Avenue with her affluent financier husband Hal. On the other end of the spectrum is Ginger played by Sally Hawkins who is a single mother in San Francisco who is debating whether or not she should continue her relationship with a local grease monkey. Despite being Jasmine's adopted sister, Ginger is clearly of more humble means. Naturally, the two sister's paths don't cross until Jasmine finds herself without a husband and completely broke. The movie's runtime is short, ending in about an hour and a half. Yet, the movie still delivers a solid story in that short period of time. The plot follows Jasmine in the present day while repeatedly cutting in with flashbacks of her lavish past life with her husband Hal played by Alec Baldwin. Hal, as it turns out, is a Wall Street con man that is caught defrauding countless people of millions of dollars. Yet, the plight of these poor people is clearly lost on Jasmine who views the events that unfolded in her family as a deep personal tragedy that the world is responsible for remedying. She shows up at her sister's apartment in San Francisco and wreaks havoc on her life. Jasmine is the perfect character study of abject narcissism. The Australian actress, Cate Blanchett's stunning performance in the role of Jasmine is enhanced by the tasteful music which includes some smooth jazz with a satirical touch. Blue Jasmine was a hit at the box office as the film made nearly a hundred million dollars off of its meagre $18 million budget. Blanchett even won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 2013 for her stellar performance in the film.Although Hal is only on-screen briefly, he characterizes all of the worst things about New Yorkers and unethical businessmen. Hal steals from hardworking people. Many of these people, such as Ginger's ex- husband for instance, trusted Hal with their life's savings. But Hal's lack of business ethics pales in comparison to his lack of marital fidelity. Through Blue Jasmine's series of short flashbacks, it is revealed that Hal is as untrustworthy in bed as he is in business and cheats on his wife constantly. Unfortunately, this is essentially his downfall. On the other end of the moral spectrum is Ginger. Ginger is a plain girl who lacks the flair of her stylish and cosmopolitan sister. But she is still an interesting character. She is the quintessential girl next door. Influenced by Jasmine, Ginger is convinced to give up her stable relationship in pursuit of an exciting fling. She attempts to "better herself" through relationships like Jasmine who managed to seduce the affection of an aspiring local politician after the disastrous demise of her marriage to Hal. It's a shame that Ginger follows Jasmine's relationship advice despite the woman's clear lack of human relationship skills. Although Blue Jasmine has some merits as a film on its own, it is Cate Blanchett who literally steals the show. Her portrayal of a fallen New York socialite recovering from mental illness is spot on and does justice to the real life Jasmines of the world. One thing that narcissists like Jasmine will never do, is admit that they are wrong. At the end of the film, it is revealed that Jasmine is responsible for her own demise. Just proves that although Karma might not always be readily visible, sometimes it can be a five letter word that rhymes with snitch. In the spirit of Jasmine, "Uh who do I have to sleep with around here to get a Stoli martini with a twist of lemon".