THE PLOT THUS FAR
BLUE LIKE JAZZ is a groundbreaking film about finding yourself. Don (Marshall Allman), a pious nineteen-year-old sophomore at a Texas junior college, impulsively decides to escape his religious upbringing for life in the Pacific Northwest at Reed College in Portland, one of the most progressive campuses in America. Reed’s surroundings and eccentric student body prove to be far different from the environment from which he came, forcing him to embark on a journey of self- discovery to understand who he is and what he truly believes.
WHAT WE THOUGHT
Don is about to graduate from High School and is headed to Bible College. He’s then faced with a situation that shakes him to his core. He ends up at Reed College, a liberal college in Oregon. The stories that follow show us the author’s real struggles with faith and how he comes to grips with his own spirituality aside from the oppressive, rigid religious home he was raised in. But, Don realizes that no matter how much he tries to escape God, he has failed. He realizes there is imperfection in the world – youth pastors mess up, parents let you down, people have affairs, cooperations screw over the little guy but in spite of that there is a lot of good in the world. When the movie is over, many of the character’s questions of what is the meaning of life remain to be fully answered.
“Blue Like Jazz” fares a lot better than the usual Kirk Cameron schlock. However, it still suffers from the problems that befall Christian cinema. The movie lives so far up its own ass, that it can’t perceive a world where it isn’t the prominent lifestyle. In a way, it almost suits the teenage leads of the film. But, we’re talking about a world religion and not Sweet Valley High. The sheer gall that “Blue Like Jazz” expects us to treat the subject matter with kid gloves leaves me a little bothered. Still, it is what it is.
The Blu-Ray comes with commentary, featurettes, trailers and deleted scenes. The A/V Quality is pretty strong for a 25 gig disc. The 1080p transfer shows off well for an indie drama, but the DTS-HD 5.1 master audio track doesn’t have a lot of room to develop. What can be done in the end? Not much. In the end, I’d recommend a purchase to the target audience.
RELEASE DATE: 08/07/2012
