User Reviews

There's a Section that's enacted to create, prejudice, intolerance and hate, treating people in a way, causing division, leaving no say, this is what Britain had come to in those days (although lift a few stones and you find it's not actually progressed that much since) - as Jean, a PE teacher, brilliantly performed by Rosy McEwen, struggles with her sexuality becoming known to her colleagues and her students, and the impact that might have on her career, especially as the teenage Lois has begun her journey of discovery and self-awareness. I thought Kerrie Harris put in a great performance as Jean's partner Viv too. Well worth watching, not only for the performances but as a reminder of a world that's not that long passed.

Blue Jean presents to us the struggles of a woman who is trying to blend into the heteronormative world during a time where homosexuals were politically vilified and othered, whilst trying to protect her position and integrity as a teacher.

It deals with more than just the base subject matter of what could be seen as a run-of-the-mill exploration of what it was/is like to live in a world like this where the politicalisation of a person's nature is used against them in order to misdirect the general public from actual issues of the times.

It delicately portrays the effects that it has on Jean, and by proxy, others, who internalises the prejudices which they experience, and how this behaviour affects how she not only treats herself - by isolating herself from the world at large, but also how she treats those closest to her while she sees that others within the community accepts themselves and lives openly without shame, albeit by not having, what could be seen as, white collared jobs.

Caught within the crossfire of Jean struggling to accept her nature is Lois, a student of Jean's, who is being bullied for reasons which you can surmise... Leading Jean to abandon Lois in a time of need.

The movie, for me, falls just short of having a cathartic release, but it highlights the relief that a person can have by coming to terms with their own nature, and righting the wrongs that they have caused, even if in part. As well as the importance of having a close and supportive community.

Solid performances from the entire cast makes this movie feel real. It reflects the life that people lived and continues to live. A worthwhile watch, as it is also a reflection of the time that we live in now.

This film had a plot line that was like a documentary piece of 1980s Britain, in particular the whole 'Section 28' legislation using a PE teacher, Jean and her experiences in the period. How times (although the 1980s still seems relatively recent to me!) have moved on with the repealing of the said legislation in 2003. The whole intricacies of the said legislation is freely available to study elsewhere, this is strictly a review of the film I watched.

The film was shot on 16mm film and like other films using this medium it gives it a documentary type feel to proceedings or so I think.

It compares favourably with the 1980s timeframe of the story and other films of that period such as Rita, Sue and Bob Too (1987). The film also demonstrates the 1980s sound of synthesizers and beats from pop music of the time.

The cast put in excellent performances in conveying the bleakness of the whole story and can only be commended for their work on such a low budget film, which the U. K. seems to excel at producing.

"Jean" (Rosy McEwan) is a physical education teacher at a school in Northern Engand. Privately, she is having a relationship with the out and proud "Viv" (Kerrie Hayes) but the emphasis here is very much on the "privately" - something that her confident girlfriend struggles to comprehend. When "Lois" (Lucy Halliday) joins her netball class, then runs into her in a bar later, things become complicated for "Jean" and the remainder of the film illustrates just a short segment of her troubled life as her pupils start to put two and two together and mischief and malevolence rears their very ugly heads. As a gay lad who lived at the time I am actually a little tired of films that make out that "Thatcher" was some alien space invader sent by God to cleanse society. The views of her government represented massive numbers of people in Britain - across the political spectrum - who were terrified about the perceived adverse influences on children of what they saw as "permissive" practices. Rather than acknowledge these concerns as legitimate (at the time) and put some national context into this story, this film really only takes a couple of people whose relationship never comes across as especially strong anyway, and try to make a greater political point. To have been successful there, balance is essential. The underlying plot issues are potent, but they are not developed anywhere near enough to create substantial characters and instead offer us a rather undercooked swipe at a system that was as broadly representative then as it is not (thankfully) now. The production is all a bit basic and though McEwan offers us a considered performance and the film is certainly worth watching, I had really hoped for something just a bit deeper and stronger.

The closet she came!, and all the rest of the tyneside dykes and dallies, in the roaring 80's british lgbtq+ redemtion movement, a time where gay and lesbians really stood out as real individualees, fighting for the rights to be equaly treated by society trying to squelch the heterosexual dominance on common settings in life like being the teacher and nurse and coalminer as they were educated as, without meing branded as children molestors and pedophiles, which was a normal rank in these days...

a really emotional flick about lesbianism in the thickest of geordieland, up on the northeast coast of england,where the pitches are so muddy and the only thing you dream of is sun and sand, just like the fight the main caracter in this flick goes through. Being in a rather voulnarable position as a P. E. teacher at the local school youre able to follow the ups and downs of her social life as well as her professional careere, as well as her abilities to sipht out new young girls on the block, which in the end becomes a harrowing threat that will stigmatize and ruin her life as a working teacher.

Loads of good old dj emeralds youll hear if viewing blue jean, well entwined into the bleach and grey landscape of blustery tyneside, ill be better of going to yewtree gardens or maybe it was peartree somewhere walkerville ne6 4tr, a very well made gay movie for sure...

so lets break the walls down in the end, just like the romans did in...wallsend...be proud of yourself whoever you are and have a good time viewing mrs mcewen, quite an enchanting one. A recommend from the ever so grumpy old man.

It wasn't all that long ago when the LGBTQ+ community not only didn't have legal protections for its rights, but also faced blatant discrimination against its constituents, prejudiced initiatives aimed at denying them equal treatment under the law and even subjecting them to lawfully sanctioned ostracism. This was true even in "civilized" and "progressive" societies like those found in North America and Europe. And it prompted individuals to live in fear of losing their jobs and leaving them open to ridicule without ramifications, not to mention disrespect and mistrust from their own families. Those chilling conditions are ominously brought to light in this period piece drama set in the UK in the late 1980s, when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government sought the passage of Section 28, legislation aimed at prohibiting activities openly promoting homosexuality, a bill carrying wide-sweeping implications for the LGBTQ+ community. Many of its constituents, like a young lesbian physical education teacher (Rosy McEwen), retreated into the closet to keep out of sight. But those efforts derailed whatever social progress had been made, damaging those individuals' self-esteem and creating a divisive schism between those who vociferously demanded justice and those who chose to keep a low profile to protect themselves, as evidenced by the experiences of the teacher and her out and proud girlfriend (Kerrie Hayes). Writer-director Georgia Oakley's debut feature does a fine (if somewhat predictable) job of illustrating this rift and the effects it had on both the public and personal lives of these people, an effort that earned the film a 2022 BAFTA Award nomination for Best Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer. Admittedly, the picture's opening act meanders a bit, but, once it gets on track, when the emergence of various damning revelations threatens to blow things wide open, it steadily grows more powerful and heartfelt, qualities supported by the fine performances of the cast, solid writing, and its skillfully crafted atmospheric cinematography and production design. It also provides viewers with a potent cautionary tale about the effects of initiatives like Section 28 (which was in force from 1988 to 2003) and the parallels to this legislation that are currently under consideration in various US jurisdictions. It effectively shows us how Jean became so blue - and how we should seek to prevent the same from happening to the rest of us.

As someone who knew gay/lesbian teachers at the time of section 28, this hits home. Anyone who tells you that the relationships/visuals/attitudes or experience of these lesbians isn't real/true/believable might need to find a few lesbians who would be happy to educate them. Some reviewers get to hide their prejudice under a film review on a website & don't take in the lesson the film is trying to teach them. Times were bad, they still aren't great but it's essential that stories like this (representing ppl like this) are told and ppl get a chance to try to understand a story about ppl they previously only saw as a torrent of negative newspaper headlines. The film feels real, likewise the characters & acting are all spot on. No cast member is misplaced. Proper good.

1988- 2023 have a lot of things changed since then? Not many, especially in provinces all around the world!

A movie which gives prominence to the taboos of society and to racism and discrimination that still people face due to their sexual orientation.

With no exaggerations a portrait of a woman is being developed in a flaming society. A very realistic and political movie, without politics being mentioned.

The easthetics of the particular decade are so smoothly projected. (That's the difference between Europe vs Hollywood cinematography- love it!!)

It is worth mentioning the transformation of Ms Kerrie Hayes to Vivian, it is amazing!

I often cheer for movies like Blue Jean. They are important in a response to the big lavish entertainment films. But I can't quite get the hang of this particular film.

This is a film about LGBT history, with a main character set in 80s Britain with Thatcher's controversial No Clause 28 legislation as a backdrop. As a gym teacher, she experiences challenges in living out who she really is, in the face of society's view of gays and queers. Important topic. But we have seen this before, and in my opinion also seen it portrayed better before.

In this film, a lot is very good, the era is depicted well. The main character in the film is good in the role of a person who has to make important and not least right choices for herself. But on the way there she makes a lot of strange choices. In particular, her handling of her job as a teacher in meeting with the students is not very credible in my opinion. I think the narrative stagnates in the descriptions of her anguish and doubts. The film does not get out of a rut, and the main character becomes somewhat one-dimensional and I think it became less engaging as time went on.

The film is still not bad, and has a fantastic amount of good 80s music as a soundtrack.

This is one of those films where you know that everyone was all-in to make it work. The subject matter is the human condition, in this case as director Georgia Oakley says, for anyone who has ever felt 'othered'. Rosy McEwen describes her character as 'shy' and portraying this without overdoing it or selling out the other aspects of who she is is what makes it work. Jean is a flawed character and that is of course what makes her human. She fails when she is faced with her own short-comings, but she realizes it and starts to find her way, and you know she will become a better person for it.

Leave the politics at the door and take in this rare and unique depiction of a very human character confronting the particular circumstances that her life presents her with. All the actors are good. The soundtrack is excellent. Much like 'The Quiet Girl' which is a true masterpiece, this film does a lot with a little and does not overplay anything or feel pandering in any way.

Hollywood may feel it needs to promote women directors and celebrate them regardless of talent, but Oakley has made an honest film for all the right reasons and no doubt Hollywod will not even notice. Nor should they given what they represent.

Lesbian, yes, but not as full on as perhaps expected. Of course there are a handful of explicit scenes. However, this film is beautifully set in its time period - that of Margaret Thatcher's Britain - and with considerable complexity in all the characterisations. The film tells an all too credible story. Much as one might not care for the full-on gay lifestyle at times depicted it becomes apparent how one might be forced into it by the mores of the time. Fine acting, especially Rosie McEwen as Jean, and the rest of the cast were equally capable. The cinematography is both excellent and unobtrusive.

Roger Ebert once said, it's not what a film is about, but how it is about it. Any film subject can be entertaining and interesting if done right, and any film subject can be dis-interesting and dull if done incorrectly. I've had some films that I expected to be bored to tears by end up being absolutely captivating because they were made so well. I was hoping for something like that with 'Blue Jean' but it was not to be the case sadly.

This film does everything in the least interesting way possible. It tries to create drama but it does it in a way that is forced and feels more like people being stroppy and unpleasant rather than naturally reacting to a situation. It never tries to push the envelope and be something unique and powerful or perhaps even memorable.

Basically I couldn't connect with the film. I found it uninspiring and I was bored to death for the majority of the run time. It's only 90 minutes but it felt much longer than that. 4/10.

I am neither British nor homosexual therefore the particular circumstances of the characters of this movie do not relate directly with my personal experience. But I liked it very much because the particular case described can be generalized not withstanding its specific trappings as a depiction of the dilemmas and strategies that are available to people who realize that their choices and identity do not conform with those of the majority of their fellow humans in their working environment and society in general. The minority identity should be asserted in an outspoken manner to gain recognition or should one tread carefully and discreetly so as not to offend the sensibilities of the majority? "Blue Jean" depicts characters that make those different choices. It does so in a sensitive manner and that is what I liked in this movie. I also liked the acting and the depiction of the humdrum reality of school athletics. Truly a chunk of life in the border of realism with naturalism.

The film captures the raw emotion and high-stakes of these people's lives extremely well.

All the main protagonists were relatable despite coming from all sides of the debate- from militant to conformist.

The film also brings to light the pressure (the stress) and sheer terror it must have been to live this way at the time. It does so - in my opinion - in a universal, non-condescending and confident way.

So anyone marginalized or not-of-the-mainstream can perfectly relate to the struggle of these people.

Yes, as usual the BBC have been economical with the truth to suit some modern biases, but that aside, it is a good account of that period. It is easy to criticize Thatcher but she was a representation of life at that time.

I liked it. I can see where some may be critical but a good movie in my opinion brings about emotion and effortlessly draws your engagement, and this one did that.

Jean (Rosy McEwen) is an attractive 20-something frosty haired gym teacher. She's asked by one of her colleagues at the school to go out for drinks with some of their fellow teachers - might even be a guy or two with an eye out for her. Jean, who has a female partner, demurs not by replying directly, but coming up with a a lame excuse. It's just one of the times that Jean is confronted with telling the truth, but "lies" instead.

England. Late 80s. Margaret Thatcher's conservative Britain to be precise. The nation is in full moral panic mode and the very suspicion that a teacher might be gay is grounds for removal. The law was called Section 28. To Writer-Director Georgia Oakley's credit, BLUE JEAN never becomes a polemic. It simply presents the reality of what people like Jean were going through at the time. Oakley's screenplay unfolds at a natural pace and the audience is given the details of Jean's background at an unhurried pace.

Jean's girlfriend is Viv (Kerrie Hayes) who, by contrast, is very much 'out'. She flaunts her sexuality and makes no apologies. Also complicating things for Jean is a new student, Lois (Lucy Halliday), who happens to hang out in the same local gay bar. Jean's family is little help, even her sister Sasha (Aoife Kennan) who outwardly supports her sibling, but is nonetheless concerned about protecting her young son when she is around.

The performances here all very good, with McEwen embodying her character's ambivalence, while also demonstrating fortitude. It's a tricky balance which Oakley's filmmaking ably abets. Oakley also creates a vivid depiction of the era with details of the LGBTQ community at the time. Songs by New Order, Letta Mbulu and Colourbox and others grace the soundtrack and the screenplay is filled with precise and distinctive terminology. There are not great revelations or epiphanies for Jean, but, Oakley imbues her main character with an inner strength that is palpable.

Section 28 was repealed in 2003.

Thatcher's England. LGBTQ+ activists yet to start fighting for their rights throughout the country therefore homophobia is setting the rules damaging so many people's lives. At first glance, this film is a story of a sports teacher Jean whose internal homophobia consistently ruins her life. But there are so many other stories: the fragile yet sincere Lois, who's much less afraid but still bullied; the Bog fundraisers, who'll never let the more vulnerable ones starve or beg; Siobhan, the school bully, who vehemently seeks power and is extremely destructive and dangerous; Viv, who's brave and open but also pays her price; the homophobic sister, the family, the teachers, the neighbors, etc. Every member of this story is important because it makes us see this sorrowful whole so very clearly.

For the UK it's mostly history: homophobia and violence are a crime (no-one said they don't exist though), however, one can lose count of places in our world where it's the present, and unfortunately the future.

Bravo: brilliant, brave, intimate, accurate and... hopeful.