Blue State (film)

Plot

John Logue (Breckin Meyer), a dedicated John Kerry campaigner in the 2004 election, actually follows through on a drunken campaign vow to move to Canada if George W. Bush would be re-elected. When Bush indeed wins again, John finds his employer and his friends took his public vow seriously and he can not help but stay true to his word. He meets Chloe Hamon (Anna Paquin), a reader of his blog, who wants to accompany him to Canada. On his way, they visit John's parents who are upset about his liberal views because his father (Richard Blackburn) is an inveterate Republican supporter. Moreover, John's brother is a soldier who fought in the Iraq War. Later, close to the Canada–United States border, Chloe reveals to John that she is a deserter who was in Iraq as a soldier and is supposed to return there.

John insists on taking Chloe to Canada although he then risks getting in trouble should she get arrested. In Canada, they are welcomed by a community of American expatriates but neither John nor Chloe really fit in there, despite the arrangement of a marriage to allow John to remain. Making a difficult decision to return, John and Chloe head for the border and an uncertain fate. When Chloe is arrested and has to go to prison, John waits for her, and in his return to the United States, has made a determination that he must make a difference. "Logue for State Senate" is the bumper sticker on his car.

Cast

Production

Anna Paquin, who plays the female lead, also served as executive producer of this film. Blue State was shot on location in Winnipeg (her hometown) and the border crossing at Emerson, in Manitoba in the summer of 2006. Principal photography wrapped up in August 2006. The film was a first effort of Paquin Films, a production company formed by both Anna and her brother, Andrew Paquin.

DVD release

Blue State was released on DVD on February 12, 2008 in Region 1 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in a dual sided format with side A being a 1.33:1 pan and scan version and side B having the film in 1.78:1 widescreen. The DVD includes subtitles and an audio commentary by writer/director Marshall Lewy. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment released Blue State in Canada on February 28, 2008 on a single-sided disc containing the film in 1.78:1 widescreen. It has the audio commentary but does not have subtitles.

Reception

Blue State premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival from April 25 to May 6, 2007, and, subsequently, was shown at the CineVegas Film Festival (Diamond Discoveries) June 8–16, 2007. Reviews from critics were mixed although generally there were aspects of the film that were appreciated, but the overt political message was poorly received. On its release in DVD format, David Cornelius from DVD Talk commented, "There are a lot of ham-fisted ideals flying about here, and it's all a bit too crudely processed for the movie's own good. But then Lewy lets the politics step out of the way and the characters to step back in, and we leave smiling."