My Blueberry Nights (C or 2/4 stars)
There's no way you won't want a piece of blueberry pie (unless you're allergic) after having watched 'My Blueberry Nights', directed by Kar Wai Wong. A young New Yorker, Liz (singer, Norah Jones), takes a long soul-searching journey across America to answer questions about life & love. Among those she leaves behind is a kindred spirit in Jeremy (Jude Law), a cafe owner who helps her mend a broken heart. This is one of the most languid movies I've ever seen. At 86 min., there's only 30 or so containing dialogue. The images are drool-worthy. But they're not enough to keep us invested for the duration.
Jeremy runs a cafe in NYC. Liz has discovered that her boyfriend had eaten at the cafe with another girl. Furious, Liz leaves him, gives her keys to Jeremy, and waits to see if the boyfriend comes to collect them. After some time together, Liz & Jeremy find that they like each other's company. To fill a void, Liz eats the most neglected pie in the dessert case ... the blueberry pie. Rejuvenated from her time with Jeremy, Liz picks up the fragmented pieces of her life & travels to Tennessee. There, she works as a waitress by morning, and bar maid at night; she's saving for a car. Far away now, Jeremy tries to find out where she's gone. And Liz sends him postcards (w/o revealing her residency). In Tennessee, she encounters Arnie (David Strathairn), who thinks that if he can overcome his alcoholism, his younger wife, Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz) will stop cheating on him. The threesome becomes entangled in a tragic incident; and Liz decides it's time to move on.
After this, Liz heads to Reno, Nevada. Working as a casino waitress, she offers naive help to Leslie (Natalie Portman), a woman who's down-on-her-luck at the poker table. Liz lends her car savings, and if Leslie loses the next hand, she'll give HER car to Liz. Luck runs out for Leslie, the car goes to Liz, but she asks if she can hitch a ride with her to Vegas. There, her father would surely lend her some much needed $$. Another tragedy arises involving Liz, Leslie & her father. And Leslie confesses to something which prompts Liz to leave for NY. After such tumultuous soul exploration, will Jeremy still be there waiting for her?
There are 'parts' to this melancholy movie that are quite good. I enjoyed the opening in which Jeremy & Liz get to know one another. David Strathairn gives a convincing performance of someone who's disappointed in themselves for their drinking ways. Though I think Rachel Weisz was completely miscast, she 'herself' does a fantastic job (particularly in one weepy scene). And Natalie Portman, also miscast (a bit too young), is the best character in the whole bunch. It's also hard not to enjoy the sensuous, seductive, dreamy cinematography/photography of the film. The food is blue, red, or purple. Everyone's attire is blue or purple. Neon lights shone blue or purple. Heck, the opening & closing credits are in purple. 'My Blueberry Nights' is stylish, meditative, & modestly ambitious.
But the negatives slightly outweigh the moments of quiet brilliance. The score that's played throughout the proceedings is droll-ish elevator music. The movie's undoing is that it is TOO swirly, too moody. You've got sleek cafes, swarthy bars, smoke-filled casinos ... but it's so overwhelmingly laden with 'mood' that it just envelops you; swallowing you like Liz swallows her blueberry pie. Speaking of Liz, Norah Jones is pretty, & has a wistful face, but she's not that great in the lead role. She and the film are a tad too ponderous; too passive. There's more style than substance. So by the end, we're neither hoping for OR against her potential reunion with Jeremy. It just doesn't matter. I did not hate this film, not by a long shot. I'm just having a hard time thinking who its audience might be.
Jeremy runs a cafe in NYC. Liz has discovered that her boyfriend had eaten at the cafe with another girl. Furious, Liz leaves him, gives her keys to Jeremy, and waits to see if the boyfriend comes to collect them. After some time together, Liz & Jeremy find that they like each other's company. To fill a void, Liz eats the most neglected pie in the dessert case ... the blueberry pie. Rejuvenated from her time with Jeremy, Liz picks up the fragmented pieces of her life & travels to Tennessee. There, she works as a waitress by morning, and bar maid at night; she's saving for a car. Far away now, Jeremy tries to find out where she's gone. And Liz sends him postcards (w/o revealing her residency). In Tennessee, she encounters Arnie (David Strathairn), who thinks that if he can overcome his alcoholism, his younger wife, Sue Lynne (Rachel Weisz) will stop cheating on him. The threesome becomes entangled in a tragic incident; and Liz decides it's time to move on.
After this, Liz heads to Reno, Nevada. Working as a casino waitress, she offers naive help to Leslie (Natalie Portman), a woman who's down-on-her-luck at the poker table. Liz lends her car savings, and if Leslie loses the next hand, she'll give HER car to Liz. Luck runs out for Leslie, the car goes to Liz, but she asks if she can hitch a ride with her to Vegas. There, her father would surely lend her some much needed $$. Another tragedy arises involving Liz, Leslie & her father. And Leslie confesses to something which prompts Liz to leave for NY. After such tumultuous soul exploration, will Jeremy still be there waiting for her?
There are 'parts' to this melancholy movie that are quite good. I enjoyed the opening in which Jeremy & Liz get to know one another. David Strathairn gives a convincing performance of someone who's disappointed in themselves for their drinking ways. Though I think Rachel Weisz was completely miscast, she 'herself' does a fantastic job (particularly in one weepy scene). And Natalie Portman, also miscast (a bit too young), is the best character in the whole bunch. It's also hard not to enjoy the sensuous, seductive, dreamy cinematography/photography of the film. The food is blue, red, or purple. Everyone's attire is blue or purple. Neon lights shone blue or purple. Heck, the opening & closing credits are in purple. 'My Blueberry Nights' is stylish, meditative, & modestly ambitious.
But the negatives slightly outweigh the moments of quiet brilliance. The score that's played throughout the proceedings is droll-ish elevator music. The movie's undoing is that it is TOO swirly, too moody. You've got sleek cafes, swarthy bars, smoke-filled casinos ... but it's so overwhelmingly laden with 'mood' that it just envelops you; swallowing you like Liz swallows her blueberry pie. Speaking of Liz, Norah Jones is pretty, & has a wistful face, but she's not that great in the lead role. She and the film are a tad too ponderous; too passive. There's more style than substance. So by the end, we're neither hoping for OR against her potential reunion with Jeremy. It just doesn't matter. I did not hate this film, not by a long shot. I'm just having a hard time thinking who its audience might be.