DVD Review: Blue State

Written by Fantasma el Rey 

Blue State is a nice little romantic comedy about a young man who decides to pack up and move to Canada after the 2004 reelection of George W. Bush. Along the way he discovers and grapples with who he is and what he is really hoping to accomplish in life.

We follow John Logue, (Breckin Meyer) a young man in San Francisco dedicated to the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry as he gives his all in the hope that a Democrat will win the office. In disbelief that people want “Dubya” to remain in power, John makes a televised, drunken, election-night promise to move to Canada if Bush wins again.

Ah, the day after. John feels as if he’s in a surreal world, a nightmare he can’t wake from as Kerry has thrown in the towel after being dealt a knockout blow from the nation that voted Bush back in. John, head hung low, attempts to put his life back in order by getting back his job, which he quit, and his girlfriend, who he put on hold. Both are now unavailable and John begins to ponder the future as friends continue to hound him about the promise he made the night before. As the pressure mounts for him to keep his word, John starts to seriously consider the move as a political statement

Further sparked by a call from the founder of “Marry a Canadian,” John begins looking for a traveling buddy and finds the blue-haired, attractive young Chloe (executive producer Anna Paquin) and the trip begins. Along the way we explore John’s obsession with the evils of the Bush government as he yaps about it as often as he can. We also see how the two differ; John is the organized “tight ass” while Chloe is relaxed and blunt. We also discover their secret pasts that brought them to this point in life.

John comes from a hardcore Republican family, who we get to meet as the pair stops at John’s childhood home in Washington. John’s father communicates with his family like he’s hosting a right-wing call-in radio show while his mother plays obedient housewife as both are in denial of their youngest son’s death in the Middle East. All of this is what fuels John’s far-left, Democratic beliefs.

Then there is mysterious Chloe who stays quiet and reveals her secret moments away from the Canadian border; she is a U.S. soldier and only child from a long line of war heroes skipping out on her second tour of duty. Chloe tires to back out and return to her family and her troop, but John bravely pushes her forward. He couldn’t save his brother so he’s going to save her, so into Canada they go further into the adventure.

Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2

Article tags

Spread the word
Bookmark and Share
Profile image for the-masked-movie-snobs

Article Author: The Masked Movie Snobs

The Masked Movie Snobs are a collective that fights against bad entertainment.

Visit The Masked Movie Snobs's author pageThe Masked Movie Snobs's Blog

Read comments on this article, and add some feedback of your own
  • Blue State Blue State

    Vowing to move to Canada if John Kerry loses the 2004 election, fervent liberal John Logue (Breckin Meyer) suddenly finds himself with no job, no girlfriend... and no country! Making good on his "campaign ...

Article comments

Add your comment, speak your mind

Personal attacks are NOT allowed.
Please read our comment policy.
Please preview your comment.

blogcritics lists for Dec 01, 2009

fresh articles Most recent articles site-wide

fresh comments Most recent comments site-wide

most comments Most comments in 24hrs

top writers Most prolific Blogcritics for October

top commenters Most prolific Commenters in 24 hrs