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CS Weekly Archive> DVD > 2/29/08
Confusing State
by peter clines
Blue State
Marshall Lewy (also directed)
 
 
John (Breckin Meyer) is a liberal campaigner and blogger who makes a drunken oath to move to Canada if George W. Bush is re-elected in 2004. A few months later, he finds himself on a trip north to find his destiny, accompanied by Chloe (Anna Paquin), a supposed activist with a few secrets of her own. It’s tough to figure out what kind of story Blue State is. On his commentary track, writer/director Marshall Lewy calls the film a romantic comedy, but the truth is, the story just isn’t that funny, and the romance between John and Chloe seems stumbling and forced. While politics is a large element in the film, the rants and discussions always come from stubborn, extremist ends of the spectrum, making all the viewpoints far too easy to dismiss. John and Chloe are believable people for the most part, but they’re never explored enough for it to be a character piece. Lewy’s commentary further explains the origins of the film from conversations with disgruntled Democrats before and after the election, and how he first had the idea of an ad-libbed road trip movie. In the end, the film feels unfocused and unsure of what story it’s trying to tell, or how it wants to tell it.
 Blue State
MGM Home Entertainment
Rated R; 92 min.
$26.98
Buy it now
Peter Clines has had a lifelong love affair with the movies. He grew up in New England, where he studied English literature and education, and now lives and writes somewhere in Southern California. If anyone knows exactly where, he would appreciate a few hints.
Blue State
courtesy MGM Home Entertainment
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