Customer Reviews

Blue State

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I am not exactly sure when it was decided that blue was for Democrats and red was for Republicans, but that sure is codified in the political consciousness of all Americans by this time in the history of the known universe. I think that once upon a time they used to switch back and forth on which party was which color from one presidential election to the next, but that might be just wishful retroactive thinking on my part. Of course, now we have potentially purple states that could be switching from one color to the next, so it is not like these colors are forever. Once upon a time I thought about creating bumper stickers that would say "Red State, Blue Heart" or "Blue State, Red Heart," but adding to the political disharmony of the nation just did not seem worth the profit.

John (Breckin Meyer) probably would have wanted a "Red Nation, Blue Heart" bumper sticker, because he is living in California (and "Blue State, Blue Heart" is just plain smug rather than a colorful act of defiance). John was campaigning full-time for the Kerry-Edwards ticket in the 2004 election, and during a moment of anticipatory euphoria (or in reaction to all the doors being slammed in his face by people voting for Bush-Cheney), John declares that he is so sure of a Democratic victory that if the Republicans actually won--he would move to Canada. In the aftermath of Bush's victory John is somewhat surprised to see that people really do expect him to head for the border. After all, the promise was taped and appeared on television, which, of course, somehow means he has to go. His disgust over the election, coupled with the lost of both his job and his girlfriend, soon convinces him there is nothing left for him in the U.S. Besides, he can write his "Donkey Revolution" blog just as easily in Canada. Plus, there is an organization in Winnipeg that helps settle American "refugees." However, it is not really a road trip movie if you go by yourself, so John begins interviewing potential travel buddies.

Of course he picks Chloe (Anna Panquin), who has blue hair and clearly seems to be saying what John obviously wants to hear about politics and the invention. But that is okay because John has stopped listening. However, Chloe has her own reasons for leaving the country, which John will discover in due time (i.e., right before they cross the border). Driving up the coast there is a convenient but quite uncomfortable stop at the house of John's parents. Mom (Joyce Krenz) is dismayed John is stilling on that vegetarian kick, while Dad (Richard Blackburn) presides over the dining room table like it is a super conservative talk show (I mean he literally acts and talks like he has a radio show and John is a liberal guest who needs to be eviscerated for his listeners). When they get to Winnipeg, they meet up with Gloria (Adrana O'Neill), who runs a "Marry-A-Canadian" website.

At this point I was thinking that it was like John and Chloe had traveled back to the Sixties, an idea that is reinforced when they run into an American expatriate who came to Canada to dodge the draft (there is a wonderful line where the old guy wonders why Americans would flee the country at a time when there is no longer a draft). I round up on "Blue State" because while it looked like writer-director Marshall Lewy ("Future Imperfect") is suggesting that John would have been happier living in the late 1960s, the film's ending suggets that the more accurate time frame might have been the early 1960s. Meyer and Panquin are the best things in this 2007 Indie film, mainly because our initial sense that they are "out there" is reined in by all the wackier people that they meet along the way. Besides, I appreciate the irony that leaving the United States is the best way to find out what it means to be an American.

During the 2004 Presidential Election between John Kerry and George Bush there were many on the left that pledged that should George W. Bush get re-elected that they would in turn move to Canada. Though often times the comments were made somewhat tongue in cheek, there was a widespread ongoing belief that should George Bush be re-elected that Canada would see a large influx of angry American Democrats crossing into the land to our north.

In the movie Blue State, John Logue (Breckin Meyer) is a Democratic blogger who runs the political blog The Donkey Revolution. Like many good Democrats, Logue decides that he would invest his life in the 2004 campaign and work tirelessly toward the goal of getting John Kerry elected President. One night while he was celebrating some of the party's recent upswing, Logue makes an impassioned statement that should John Kerry not win he would move to Canada. Of course, the local television crew was present for the statement and ran Logue's declaration on the nightly news.

So as we all know, Kerry was indeed not elected and Bush waltzed his way into a second term in the White House. Though Logue's comment back at the time might have seemed like nothing more than a half-hearted plea to drum up additional support for Kerry, when one of Logue's friends calls him on it, Logue decides that maybe the right thing to do is in fact to really move to Canada.

Logue posts in his local coffee house of choice a flyer seeking a companion to make the voyage to Canada with. Located in California, Logue could certainly use someone that could both split the costs and the driving time. Through a series of interviews he is quickly able to weed out some of those that truly would not make the cut. But then walks in Chloe Hamon (Anna Paquin).

Chloe basically knows all the right things to say and to Logue her easiness on the eyes likely gave her another check in the positive attributes column of reasons why Logue should pick Chloe as his travel mate. John decides that he will give Chloe a shot and there is a certain mystique to her that perhaps pushes John to like his selection even more.

As the two are traversing along to Canada they make a few stops along the way and truly begin to learn more and more about one another. Logue determined that he would like to stop at his parents' home which while he knew could likely turn into a drawn out argument in actuality turned into far more than that.

Once they get to the border, Chloe reveals to John a secret that she had been keeping for the whole ride. There is initially a bit of hesitation in entering Canada, but ultimately the two do cross the border and begin their new life in Canada.

Canada brings a whole new outlook on love, life and politics for both John and Chloe. The people that they meet in Canada help to craft their beliefs a bit more as it relates to their own personal lives. The two grow closer emotionally and romantically but perhaps philosophically there becomes a bit of a split between the two.

Blue State is a rather comic film that at times is more comedy than political, at other times is more romance than comedy and at times is more political than romance. There is sort of the something for everyone kind of quality to this film although ultra right wing conservatives might find some of the humor quite mundane.

What happens toward the end of the film is a bit too foreseen and hokey than the rest of the film really proves to be. It need not take a rocket scientist to assume what the likely fate of the two travelers might have entailed.

Released in February 2008, Blue State certainly had enough time to soak up the loss of John Kerry's campaign to work the emotions and thoughts of so many into the plot in a pretty good way. The humor is not slapstick comedy, but there are some good parts to the film that sure could have picked so many of us up immediately following Bush's re-election. Blue State is a film worth watching and just like each and every vote should be given your utmost consideration.

Seriously, tho This is a really great film, about the political frustrations, the Bush Administration left us all in. And put on Breckin Meyer's, loveable obsessed, and lost yet prolific character John.
Driven to such lengths, to make the world around him, better, but at the cost of loosing himself,in the process. Confronted and confounded by his comatose parents, who only selfishly blame him for the loss, of their number one son, from the war.

They are so disturbingly twisted, from closed minded numbness, yet understandable, are just pathetically existing, in the denial they're fragile states, and weak minds can only handle.

In They're delusive old fashioned minds, they are so far gone, that poor John can't get through to the rationale parts within them. If there ever were any to begin with. And so he is to fault for even being of the living, when his brother was taken, and killed in the war, in the middle East.

John's goal is simple, get out of dodge, or the united states of blind denial, before Bush gets to run again, and yet make everything even more unbearable, for every American, trying to survive what's already happened before.

In the sheer lunacy of the political viewless future, driving poor John to involve himself in a cultish counter, to fight the heartless, and selfishly safe pesidente, and his demented boyish fantasies, playing with dangerous toys, of congressional foritude. Leaving us with a bad tasting hand grenade in our mouths every day, till some idiot pulls out the pin.

In Blue state John's views are not so far off the mark, that we can't identify with his need to get far away, along with a lovely blue yet, troubling, passenger of his. Enjoying the road trip past the good ol' USA boarder, into the safety and sane-er? Canadian embrace. After leaving Ma, and Pa kettle behind him, in their cobwebs of timeless loss and trauma filled home stead, John and his female Companion, drive forwards, into more uncertainty.

But soooo unfairly far fetched look at Canadian way of life, where I could have done without the annoying hippy, love in audacity. Sharing of the mindless mentality, of these insufferable cretins, who trick John, who is only victimized into marrying the head, head case female. While his other female Companion is lost up in the confusion, not helped by a lunatic with a piece, not so Peace, and love in, after all. After his slight misunderstanding John apologizes to his real accompaniment and they do get out of Dodge- But his fellow American companion, has a secret of her own which makes the audience feel for her even more.

But the Canadian's are made out to look really horrible, in this film.
When in fact not everything is so bleak there, and not all the inhabitants living just miles from our NYC, line in the ground, are zombifyed lost in time, stone throwing, wastes of life, who only swig beer, and can't wait for hockey season, cause they have nothing else to live for...

This was insulting, Canada is beautiful, and when the Holliweird machine, is too unfair to deal with, guess where the real actors go to escape.
Cheaper to film in Canada, mom and dad USA we might sit back and enjoy many movies, and Tv shows from O'Canada, Actors comics, you just may have heard of, but just may have missed, or dismissed.

Here's something, Canada's talent pool, can far out weigh the BS, from anything Holliweird can and has, rehashed over, and over again. And inspired writers beware, they will have less, than no respect for you in good'ol jolly LA LA Land.
So think and, say what you will about Canada, after all closed mindness is our bread, pudding here on American soil.

Sadly, you can take me away too John, after the after math of Bush in office, and everyone just keeps loosing, and loosing what little we had to begin with...

By the way interesting take on the sheltered, hypocritical, devalued, dementia, that is left behind, a faded, emerald curtain we now live behind, born under the assumption all is good, you like conformity, and relax in the frightful stripped ident, that nothing can ever touch, your blythe acceptance of our spoon fed Govenmments BS.

As they only take- take- and arrogantly take from us all... Till all is consumed, and nothing is left, for the ones, and they'er families, who really made this country great, once upon a time, for all concerned Eco wise, nature was more important, then over development, putting food on the table for all. People are surrounded, by comercialisim that sadly feeds us now, and we only eat it up, cause it's all we really believe in now.

There is nothing good, or real about Reality TV. Just more spoiled rich idiots, who couldn't claim they even stepped into a Theater school, or audition for a role on stage, or screen. Yet they are everywhere, and concidered Celebrity status today, in a mind warping, self centered, trogs, my family and friends would think of as access whores, whiney and annoying beyond reason. Yeay! That's entertainment Jersey snore! Jerseylickus! How more blatant this disturbing fact is, guess grease balls is the word, with plastic shallow bitches, who haven't a clue what real was, if it sat on they're overly made up faces, and bent they're tin hub capped jewlery. Sad state, when we rely on spoiled rotten fakers, that would go up in a nice ball of flames, if you stood too close with a lit flame, flick my bic you cheap bitches! That's what we concider Tv at it's best folks and don't get me started on Americas got no talent, wow, X marks the target factor, giving a reason to tone deafeningly tune out the butchering of Janus Joplin, and John L. Because the sheep need to feel important too. As they're clueless fams are supportive, to a loss of breath. This is what's used to entertain us today. And speak about access, and selfish breeding live stock, 19 and counting, we help animal Hoarders to free themselves of their burdens, and rescue the poor animals that are in danger by their brain dead occupations, so why is a woman in our overly populated world, cheered for recklessly poping a poor defenceless child from her cavenous mouth every second? Shouldn't someone save those poor kids, and give them moms and dads who can't breed a litter every year? Then take that cow out to pasture, and tie it's tubes?! It's sick. Not reality, she's a dam'n Mutant, who could take over the world, with her hungry 19 mouths and consuming! Sad.

We are all pawns, of the brain draining machinations of the madness, that fills our entertainment hours, and canceling shows for the Net works is like wacking your family and friends, merciless slaughter, done with sensless percission. As Tyranical as any idiotic leader, heartless, bloated, rich, undeserving, arrogant, inbred, lying, piece of shite, man in charge...
Wow, a vicious circle, ah, pyscopath, deficiant insect.

So, to sum up, if your still with me, that is. Was John so wrong, to want to escape an uncertainty, and even more bleaker future to come, now thanks to our beloved, and clueless, and fearless, fool of a leader? Mockery of a decent man! Whoever wrote Blue state, was a genus and he fore saw, the comical panic, of a realistic danger, we all should have taken into account, before prudant boy led us all astray. Now innocent families are suffering, from his arrogant narcistic need, for more access, more toys of destruction, and more bodies to play out his selfish pursuit for oil, wow, Well Go on comfort yourself, with the denial that it's okay, we are Americans, and nothing could ever be, or go wrong, to, or for us, as we continue living blissfully, with blinders on, right? Ah, 9- 11 come to mind people? It's so sad...

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all we see...

Just words to wake up by, from another more famous, and dearly missed, John. He sang alot about real Peace brother. Till some waste of life silenced him.
You figure it out, I'm wasting time, and breath, I know, As usual, Sad right? - Lo BB

This film is about politics but it's also funny, entertaining, and far from boring. The acting is very well done and the story is an adventure that can inspire you, make you laugh, and hopefully learn something about the world as well.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good this film is. To me, it's what indie films are meant to be.

Political activism is rife with ignorance and it was never more evident than in this movie and that's not necessarily a referendum of the left more than the right. There were plenty who declared they would leave the country if Obama was elected just like those that made the same foreboding remarks if the George W. Bush administration were to be re-elected. As far as I know, though, Alec Baldwin remained alive and well somewhere in New York City growing fatter and more dysfunctional by the day.

At least Breckin Meyer's character, John, does make good on his "threat" to move to Canada if GWB is re-elected and well, we all know the outcome of the 2004 election, so now John must put his money where his mouth is or risk being just another superficial malcontent.

After he gets his comeuppance at the hands of passive Canadians and a mysterious girl named Chloe, he realizes that to affect change you have to get involved in the process instead of run away.

This was a great romantic comedy about what really matters in life: love, family and relationships. Breckin Meyer plays a political blogger who was so caught up into politics he forgot to live his life, losing his girlfriend and a relationship with his parents. Politics is simply a backdrop. This movie is not for everyone, but for this old hippie, it hits the spot.

Under the veneer, this is an old fashioned road picture, replete with numerous encounters with wacky people en-route: reactionary parents, funny border guards, burned out draft dodgers and crazed Canadians bent on marrying Americans. The plot is based on a clever idea: what if someone actually did move to Canada in 2004 after Bush won the election? Many threatened to do so. How many really did? The romance between the left-wing blogger and the blue-hair dyed girl does begin to have some heat after awhile. For an indie, this is quite comfy watching.

It sounded like a fun idea reading the back of the box, but...

1. Why did John need to find a buddy to make the trip in the first place? Especially given the fact that he was headed for a place called "Marry a Canadian." It doesn't make sense to bring along some chick that you sort of want to hook up with if you plan on marrying a Canadian. Grow some balls and make the trip on your own.

2. Why did he even go to his parents' house when they (mainly his dad) are obviously completely insane? He could have just skipped it. And at this point it should have been totally obvious to him that he and Chloe were not making a love connection but were "just friends." So why the hell should he care what his parents "might think" of her?

3. Speaking of Chloe, what did John see in her in the first place? She's mean, fake, condescending, transparently NOT liberal (in a way his character should have been able to spot a mile away), shoots him down all the time and then whines and gives him the evil eye when he hooks up with someone else. One scene she's pointing out that they're not dating, the next scene she's all pissed that he's ignoring her. Make up your mind, stupid bitch.

== Real spoilers start here, but don't worry, you don't want to see this movie anyways because it was stupid. ==

4. Chloe gets mad at John because he "lied to her" about the exact nature of the people he was going to see in Canada. What the hell? They didn't become buddies for life before embarking on the trip. They'd already arrived, so if she didn't like the place, she could have just taken off! What the hell did she need to stay with him at that point for, especially given that she had such disdain for him. Not to mention that she lied to him much worse by not mentioning that she was DESERTING FROM THE FREAKING ARMY.

5. If I ever sleep with a chick who has essentially no respect for me and nothing in common with me, the way John does at the end of the film, I hope the girl at least has the decency to shoot me in the face first.

6. Hey John, nice way to start your campaign for Senate in the USA in the film's final scene, by hooking up with a deserter. I'm totally sure the pundits won't smear you all over the place for that one.

If I could give this film zero stars I would have. I will never have those hours of my life back. Don't waste your time or money!