Stars: Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Peter Sarsgaard
Director Woody Allen is the king of neurotic characters — usually portrayed by him — and this film is not a departure from that. Jasmine (a riveting performance from Cate Blanchett, Oscar are you listening?) moves in with her sister in San Francisco after her life implodes in New York. In her defense, losing all of one’s wealth and the accouterments that go with hitting pay dirt could make anyone go a little bonkers. Particularly if it means moving in with your poor relations that you have pretty much ignored until you showed up on their doorstep. This is a boozy, Xanax-popping woman who’s unraveling at the speed of sound. You can’t help feeling sorry for her. And although this is far from a comedy, Allen gives Jasmine some of the funniest lines in the film. –p.d. lee
