vothty Although the weight of nostalgia causes the second act to drag, the emotional chemistry between the two leads (Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass) makes Blue Jay a film worth remembering. Director Alex Lehmann's carefully paced scenes and surprising tone bring up the fear of what could've been without telling us how to feel about it.

ArdourFilm The story of Jim and Amanda, two former high-school sweethearts who reunite by chance some years later, is told and performed with such passion and honesty by the very grounded and talented Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson. The vulnerability these actors no doubt felt due to working from no more than a summarised outline and having to improvise the rest - often times drawing inspiration from their personal lives - comes through and serves the film well in perfecting the authentic nature of their characters and interactions. Something I didn't expect with Blue Jay was how much it would make me laugh and smile. The humour and heartfelt moments came about so naturally and effortlessly, not to mention consistently. This allowed for easy involvement and echoing of feelings, sending me from smiling to laughing to crying all within minutes. The creative choice of black and white lends itself well by keeping the focus on the story and characters, at the same time adding a notable atmosphere of nostalgia that highlights and complements Jim and Amanda's reflections on past joys and, more truthfully, present disillusionment. The direction and cinematography of Alex Lehmann, and the dedication and love for this small independent project from the rest of the cast and crew - especially Duplass, who has managed to achieve what most creators wish they could, and with less than half the time and budget - pours onto the screen, through the screen, and into your heart. Blue Jay is filmmaking and storytelling at its finest; a real piece of poetry.

veo I think it would only be fair for this film to come with a warning: "Attention! It's just 2 actors talking in an apartment through all this low-budget black and white film. It's actually a theater play". Maybe the paying spectator doesn't want a play, they want a movie. It won't matter the film is very good, actors are great: the spectator will feel they were cheated.

James Lister You never get over your first love. This is a story about Amanda and Jim. Reconnecting after two decades apart. They spend the day together reconnecting, falling in love, and opening up old wounds.I love the well-written, dialogue-driven films and when these types of films are done well they rock! It's probably why I love Richard Linklater so much as this film fits his style and this film reminds me of "Before Sunset" which is one of his films; and boy does this film deliver.Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass knock it out of the park. They were amazing. The chemistry felt so real and just worked on all levels. Also, the choice of making the film black and white really added to the film's atmosphere. The only thing I didn't like about this film was the abrupt ending. But that can be forgiven as it isn't about the destination, it's about the journey getting there that really counts. And like I said this film delivers. This film is definitely worth checking out and you can find it on Netflix. You will not regret watching it.