Blue Like Jazz

2012

Action / Comedy / Drama

13
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Rotten 63% · 40 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 63% · 10K ratings
IMDb Rating 5.8/10 10 3087 3.1K

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Plot summary

A young man must find his own way as his Southern Baptist roots don't seem to be acceptable at his new liberal arts college.

Director

Steve Taylor Photo
Steve Taylor

Top cast

Natalia Dyer Photo
Natalia Dyer as Grace
Tania Raymonde Photo
Tania Raymonde as Lauryn
James Austin Johnson Photo
James Austin Johnson as Drunk Freshman
Justin Welborn Photo
Justin Welborn as The Pope
720p.BluRay
812.28 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles us  
23.976 fps
1 hr 48 min
Seeds 1

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by fountain_pen 5 / 10

The filmic equivalent of Christian rock

Reviewed by ellehcorj 5 / 10

Painful to watch, at first

It could have been a good film, but it almost seems as though those involved were too close to it to see how it fails to draw any kind of an emotional response or much sympathy for the main character until much later in the story. The pace is slow, nothing was all that funny to me, cartoonish devices were used inconsistently and unnecessarily, which made the first half feel disjointed, as though different sections were directed by different people. Actions that moved the plot forward were so subtle as to be easily missed. One of my least favorite devices is to show a progression of time with a montage and music playing over the voices.Some scenes left me wondering 'why did they do that?' as there was no obvious metaphor (or perhaps it was so obvious as to be insulting) and no further reference given to, for instance, a worn costume. Once some of the relationships were established, the movie picks up momentum, and the ending rather saves it.I'm sure it's very difficult to portray the complex themes from the book, which makes it such rich reading. Action flicks are much easier. Much had to change for a movie to be created out of it. But a good director knows how to accomplish this without confusing, boring, or trying the patience of his audience. Perhaps Mr. Taylor should stick to music unless he wants all his work to go straight to DVD or the Hallmark channel. Sure, compared to other "Christian" movies this one rises above, but shouldn't we hold all movies to a critical standard, regardless of the company that made it?
Reviewed by appleinwaiting 7 / 10

Not your "typical Christian movie" is an understatement in all the best ways.

Not your "typical Christian movie" is an understatement for this film in all the best ways. The absence of poor acting or cheap looking Hallmark-like production, gives Blue Like Jazz authenticity to tackle the misrepresentation of Christianity in a boldly candid way. While making fun of the way church is often viewed by the public, the movie tries to show the audience that there is more than meets the eye to this perceptively stuffy, and often annoying, complacent religion. There is a poetry to the universe that should evoke some search for deeper meaning that isn't so much about absolute rightness, as it is about continuous discovery, and pursuit of truth and compassion.The movie roughly follows the book's range of stories and characters, but introduces several fictitious turns to tie us in emotionally to the story. There are several major themes and little details that anyone who has read Blue Like Jazz would recognize and connect with. However, for those who are not familiar with the book, the overall story should be easy to follow, relevant, and entertaining. And to those who watch it and become intrigued, I can only say that the book takes you on an even deeper and more thorough journey. Don't believe me? Just ask the 4500 fans who financially supported the making of the film when all seemed lost. The story behind the movie is just as poignant as the movie itself. Disclaimer: There is a decent amount of profanity, drug and alcohol use, and adult themes that nearly cost the movie an R rating. So while it is PG 13 it was made for mature audiences that can comprehend the compromising nature of the real world. I know this film will cause an inadvertent dropping of the jaw for most of the Christian community, but the response of the rest of the world seems to be a refreshing sigh of relief. So come without expectations, and a willingness to see the bigger picture, and I think it will create a good amount of discussion that could lead to a change in our subculture.
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