As the New York Times already wisely notes -- Woody Allen writes incredible roles for women. In fact, he's a far more astute writer of lead female roles than he is male. Looking at awards history -- as one should when reading this award blog -- there is only one actor ever to have ever won an Oscar in a Woody Allen role -- Mr. Michael Caine for 1986's Hannah and Her Sisters. Chazz, Matin Landau, Sean Penn, and the Woodman himself have all been nommed for other Allen pics. But it is the women who reign proud.
Victories for Diane Keaton, Mira Sorvino, Penelope Cruz, and two for Diane Wiest. Nominations for Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, Judy Davis, Jennifer Tilly, and Samantha Morton.
That's a staggering amount of roles that have made it to the final five in their respective categories -- let alone the five actual victories! Interesting to note that Mia Farrow is nowhere on the list... but I digress.
The interesting thing about Woody Allen's leading lady roles is that they often have a lot in common. Having his pick of leading ladies, The Woodman has been able to change up whose headlined his films when he hasn't been dating his lead. Often, though, it seems that the character still has echoes of Allen roles that have come before. With his latest, Blue Jasmine, we find leading lady Cate Blanchett saddling up a would-be Judy Davis role and riding it with a swagger all her own.
Why put all the focus on Cate? Why not the beautiful depiction of San Francisco? Why not the ensemble cast which includes Sally Hawkins, Andrew Dice Clay, Peter Sarsgaard, Louis C.K., and Alec Baldwin -- or the adorable Alden Ehrenreich? Well... great as the city looks and excellent as that cast turns out to be -- particularly Hawkins -- this film is purely Cate's.
Blanchett plays Jasmine - nee Jeanette -- as adopted daughter who dropped out of college to marry the older, more sophisticated Alec Baldwin after meeting him on Martha's Vineyard while "Blue Moon" played. I'm ruining nothing, I assure you. She'll tell you as much in the first 90 seconds of the film and will repeat herself a number of times.
In a role similar to Mrs. Madoff, Jasmine briefly enjoyed the high-life, where money was no object and her husband was the center of her world. It was a life of relaxing, pilates, and Tori Birch shoes that all went toe up when the chickens came home to roost. Amazingly, Baldwin plays one of the rare birds who was actually captured for his gross financial indiscretions. Consequently, Jasmine is left penniless and flees to San Francisco to crash with her sister, Ginger, played by the brilliant Sally Hawkins -- whom we all loved in Happy Go-Lucky, An Education, and Never Let Go.
Somewhere along the line, Jasmine had a psychological break. The stress of her husband's downfall, her life being uprooted, and her new life with Ginger -- which is far below Jasmine's standards -- keep her a rattled, pill popping, Stoli swilling, china doll. The slightest nudge could shatter her.
This is not a woman who is particularly likeable. The more you learn about her -- the less so. This is not a woman whose struggles are one the average Joe can connect with -- outside of a couple "60 Minutes" pieces and season three of "Damages." And yet Cate Blanchett makes her accessible and sympathetic. Playing this part with her dynamic grace and elegance, Blanchett also throws in a superb case of "the nerves," and a chilled haughty edge that serves as a lousy self-defense mechanism.
From an acting standpoint, it's a tour de force. This is hands down the best lead actress performance to have come down the pike this year. Of course, the fall will run amok with them; but Cate's ahead of the game. Though she has an Oscar, it's for a supporting role nearly a decade ago.
If Denzel Washington has taught us anything -- it's that "that doesn't
count" as a "real" Oscar win. Of course it does "count;" Denzel's lesson fell on deaf ears when it comes to the McNook -- much as the press core around his Training Day nom gone victory swallowed it whole. Cate's beloved by the industry and revered for her craft. She vanished so deeply into the role of Kate Hepburn for her Aviator win, it's possible people may forget that even happened!
I don't know where Place Beyond the Pines will fall in the land of ten. I don't know whether the Academy is going to admit reality and nominate McConnaughey. I leave the entire ballot wide open. Except for one spot -- Ms. Blanchett's lead actress slot. Consider it filled. Four to go in that crowd.
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