Blue Jasmine (IMDB) is one of Woody Allen’s darker films. The acting is terrific. The writing is insightful and full of dark ironic humor. The downside is that this is basically a character study and the main character is not very nice.

Jasmine (Cate Blanchett) is beautiful, poised and elegant. On the other hand she talks about herself incessantly and much of what she says is not entirely true. She has enjoyed a privileged life as the wife of a wealthy and crooked financier, perfectly played by Alec Baldwin. Now her life has fallen apart.

She flies to San Francisco to take refuge with her estranged sister Ginger (Sally Hawkins). Ginger is the opposite of Jasmine: plain, mousy and decidedly working class.

Since the movie largely consists of the gradual revelation of the characters and the background story I probably shouldn’t say much more. Technically this is excellent but I wouldn’t call this a feel-good picture.