Blue Jay (2016)

I used ReelGood's Netflix roulette to find a movie to watch, and my only disappointment with this movie is from the fact that the genre I selected was "Thriller" which this most definitely was not. I kept expecting some sort of mystery or twist that would make this drama into a thriller, and it never came, but I'm still glad I watched it because this film was one of the rare movies that doesn't enlist tons of predictable cliches. The story follows former high school sweethearts as they reconnect after twenty years. The residual feelings between the two characters are evident right away and throughout the film you watch those feelings spark and rekindle. A typical hollywood romance would find an easy out of the predicament that Amanda is married, like her husband is negligent or abusive, but this movie doesn't do that. Instead, even though because of their chemistry and palpable desire you want to see them reconnect physically, you also don't because of the moral issues regarding her marriage. Though the final revelation that the couple was driven apart following an abortion is predictable in the moments leading up to it, the scene is still incredibly relatable. Everything about this story feels authentic and engaging. Though it is not terribly exciting, it is realistic. Even Jim's foolish notion that had Amanda not gone through with the abortion the couple could have been so happy together is genuine and understandable, given that people who are disappointed with their lives often think if one thing could have gone differently in their lives, they may have had the perfect life they fantasize about--even though if what they wanted to happen had, they would ultimately have found the fantasy still unattainable. The story, characters, and emotions were so real, so even though the movie wasn't thrilling, it was still beautiful and interestingly complex.

It caught me from the very first moment. It's B&W. This movie shows the true feelings. Emotions. Reaction. Have you met somebody, who used to be so close to you, after so many years ... I was fully in that movie. Listen to every dialog. There is nothing I would have changed. This is perfect example of how the movies about relationship should be filmed. Nothing else, just two of them.

A soft and sweet exploration of the nostalgia of a past romance through the present discovery of things, dialogue and suddenly, feelings. The two central performances are wonderful and the black and white cinematography quite lovely, especially the shots of the lake and the surrounding countryside.What it tries to capture is the magic and allure of the past, of youth and the bliss of a young heart's first love. But also how that isn't reality (reality is in color). The ending doesn't drive this home for me. It's rushed and malformed. We know something is coming, but what and how has it impacted them? What does the intoxication of nostalgia that ended in ruin say about the present revelry in it?

4 settings, 3 actors, 2 colors, 1 day and 80 minutes that will warm your heart.An emotional story that develops between old school friends who meet again after 20 something years after their ways part. Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson have an amazing chemistry together and deliver high class performance. With well-written dialogues, relatable story line, and good music, it is the one of the best Indie movies of 2016.Expect to be amused, sad, melancholic, and nostalgic throughout the movie. I gave it 10 and would recommend it to everyone who appreciates good movies.