Norah Jones and Natalie Portman
courtesy of the Weinstein Company
Picture perfect
Chan Marshall and Norah Jones make acting debuts in My Blueberry Nights
By Mengly Taing
Published: April 21st, 2008 | 4:40pm
The story has been told before. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy breaks girl’s heart. Girl goes on an unforgettable road trip to mend her broken heart.
In My Blueberry Nights, Norah Jones plays Elizabeth, a young woman who leaves New York after a bad breakup and takes up odd jobs as she travels across the country in search of the meaning of love. As she makes her way from city to city, she crosses paths with other hurt souls, helping them resolve their failed relationships and come to terms with their fears of love. The film also includes an award-winning cast of actors including Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, and Natalie Portman, and another singer-turned-actor, Chan Marshall, making her debut. Both Jones and Marshall lend their voices to the film’s soulful soundtrack.
The story centers itself on the story of two women who test the love of the men in their lives. Weisz plays Sue Lynne, a cheating wife in Memphis, and Portman plays Leslie, a firecracker testing her father’s patience by gambling away her luck in Las Vegas. Death takes the life of their loved ones and they are forced to confront their own fears of regret, loneliness, and loss. Through their experiences, Elizabeth finds she must return home before she loses a new chance at love. Sometimes moving on is the only way to heal.
Longtime fans will notice Wong recycles many of the same ideas and themes about love from his Hong Kong films. His characters fall arbitrarily in and out of love and passing “moments” between lovers leave viewers frustrated. But for those who have not had the delightful experience of stepping into Wong’s stunning kaleidoscopic world, its beauty will captivate you. It is a world where time stands still and each frame is a work of art. For some, Jones’ shy and awkward demeanor on camera may be endearing. To others, it may be disappointing. The script may seem predictable. But it is the visual layout of America seen through Wong’s trademark tinted glasses that makes this film worth seeing.
Issue #35
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