Blue Jay (2016): Have You Watched It?

A black-and-white movie about the nuances of life.

Poppy: What would you do if, upon revisiting your hometown, you bumped into your highschool sweetheart whom you haven’t seen in over 20 years?

Mads: Awkwardly say “hi”?

Poppy: Close enough. This is the premise of “Blue Jay,” a romantic drama written by Mark Duplass, whose main characters, Jim and Amanda, are played by Mark Duplass himself and Sarah Paulson. Take a look at the trailer:

Poppy: The only color in this movie is in its title — blue. How do you feel about a modern romance movie shot in black-and-white?

Mads: I haven’t really thought about that, blue being the only color in the movie. Interesting point. I have to admit I was a bit surprised when I saw the movie was black-and-white. But I think it was a great metaphor for their reminiscence of how things used to be. Like looking at old photographs, their entire interaction seemed to be a trip down memory lane. So, thumbs up for the choice!

Poppy: I agree. I feel like the movie is stripped down to the essence of things: no information overload, no cliches or exaggerations. Instead, a naturally flowing story that feels extremely real and shows how love or relationships, in general, are not a black-and-white thing.

Poppy: Blue Jay is the name of a coffee shop where the two start catching up after bumping into each other at a supermarket. Apparently, blue jays are monogamous birds, symbolizing longevity in relationships — a bit ironic, considering that their romantic relationship was short-lived. You can sense the awkwardness of the situation in that scene. Things have changed since they last saw each other. Amanda seems happily married and fulfilled, while Jim is unsure of his next move in his life. What did you think of that scene?

Mads: I didn’t know that about blue jays, but it is a great metaphor for their relationship. Not for what it has become, but for what it was meant to be, the two of them committed to one another for eternity. The scene at Blue Jay is indeed cringe-worthy! As a viewer, you wanted it to end, to skip over the awkwardness, so much more for the characters themselves. What I liked most was the rawness of Jim’s emotions. He was so obviously overcome by feelings and his struggle to keep it all together really came through. I thought it was also a great build-up for the character’s journey. I feel tangible emotions are an ongoing theme in the movie. Which one stroke you the most?

Poppy: There were subtle moments when you could feel the characters’ pain — sometimes, in a glance; other times, in their hesitations, small gestures, or even silence. But I loved how, in spite of their pain, they still tried to make each other laugh and also laugh at themselves. And it was in their ability to laugh together at themselves that I could see what a great couple they could have been — that kind of humor is what I believe to be a secret to a great relationship, be it romantic or platonic. There were many moments throughout the movie where I smiled with them. This reminds me of one of my favorite scenes in the movie, but first I’m curious to find out which scene impressed you the most.

Mads: I was shaken when Jim finally broke down. It was a beautiful crescendo of his feelings throughout the movie, moving from the initial awkwardness to nostalgia, to comfort, to passion, and culminating with hurt. It was a deeply sad moment, but again, very real. All the years of frustration, regret, unanswered questions, defeat, discontent were poured into that breakdown. That scene answered many questions about the way Jim’s life, and particularly his encounter with Amanda, unfolded. It was a remarkable scene, painful, but unveiling. Impressive acting too!

Poppy: That was definitely the most intense moment in the movie and I couldn’t describe it better. For me, it was the scene where they listen to some tapes they recorded as teenagers. It was quite endearing to see their reactions to their younger selves and couldn’t help but wonder what my reaction would be if I had the chance to listen to my 16-year-old version (probably ashamed). And on that note, I’m now realizing that this movie is as much about growing up as it is about love. Jim and Amanda are both adults in their early forties who feel lost in their own way. They are both revisiting their hometown, which makes them reevaluate their adult lives. And it is Amanda that describes the feeling of being lost and depressed as an adult in a nutshell:

“There’s nothing wrong with my life. I should be happy. But there’s this… sadness. And I don’t know where it comes from.”

Do you think their meeting would have unfolded differently had they not met in their hometown?

Mads: I think so. The hometown provides the right context for memories to unravel. It also gives flow to their conversation as it naturally unfolds from one subject to the other while they move from the supermarket to the Blue Jay, to the small store, to Jim’s house. Without the hometown, the conversation would have probably ended awkwardly at an unknown coffee shop. No more memories explored, no more re-living the teenager dream, no more feelings relieved.

Poppy: There were many times throughout the movie when I felt like I was watching two real people instead of two actors and that I was invading their privacy. There was something about the dialogue and reactions which felt very natural, or about the very small details — how they hesitated to answer something, their awkwardness when trying to get closer to each other, or how they looked completely vulnerable sometimes, which made me relate and see myself in them. I couldn’t exactly put a finger on what made this movie look like real life rather than a performance until I found out that there was no script — only a summary of what the movie was about — and much of what we see is improvisation.

Mads: Wow! I was not aware of that. This explains why it’s so relatable and candid. The actors did an incredible job to portray the inner struggle of the characters. The more reasons to appreciate the movie. Was there anything that felt out of place for you?

Poppy: I wouldn’t necessarily describe it as out of place, but there were times when I tried to put myself in the characters’ shoes only to realize that I would do things differently. The whole premise of the movie, for instance. Two ex-lovers meeting by chance in a supermarket 20 years or so after they last saw each other, awkwardly trying to make small talk and deciding to continue their conversation over a cup of coffee. If I was Amanda, who was the first to see Jim in the supermarket, I would simply ignore him and try to pretend I didn’t see him. And just run away, haha (my inner introvert at its best). But in the end, I think it was a great exercise to try to empathize with people who are different from me. What would you do if you were in that situation?

Mads: My self-defense mechanism is humor so I would have probably made some jokes to loosen up the atmosphere, at the supermarket, but at the coffee shop too. The awkward moments were awful to watch, but that’s what made their interaction so real. I would save myself the cringe and joked my way out of it. But I don’t think that would have led to the emotional relief at the end of the movie.

Poppy: This was a movie I recommended to you. What are your final thoughts on it? Would you recommend it further? Who do you think would most enjoy it?

Mads: I really enjoyed it. Blue Jay is not a movie you watch to get a “feel good” vibe. It’s something you watch and say, “Hm, life can be like that too”. So, I would probably recommend it to those who want to learn from someone else’s story, to get a glimpse of unfulfilled emotions.

Similar movies:

• The ‘Before’ Trilogy: Before Sunrise (1995); Before Sunset (2004); Before Midnight (2013)
• The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
• Conversations with Other Women (2005)
• Marriage Story (2019)