Blue State - Eine Reise ins Blaue

Worried about disappointing the loyal readers of his internet blog, a political activist decides to make good on a promise he made to move to Canada if George W. Bush was reelected in this Canada/US co- production starring Breckin Meyer. The film is overloaded with political debate (and lots of anti-Bush sentiment), however it nevertheless makes Meyer's road trip less a political one and more a journey of self-discovery in which he learns to be proud to be an American while dealing with personal issues that surface after stopping off at his parents' house along the way. He also learns to become more humble throughout, having built up a false self-image as an important person in the political scene purely due to some campaign work and a blog with a smaller audience than he ever realised. What exactly Anna Paquin's character has to do with his self-discovery journey is less clear. Her role in the narrative is awkward from the get-go with Meyer desperate for companionship as he drives up to Canada. Paquin's character admittedly comes with a few twists that one might not see coming, but the romantic tension between the pair is extremely formulaic and subtracts from Meyer's character growth. All in all, 'Blue State' is a film with enough in it to possibly be worth a look, but with a singular protagonist and a tighter story, it may have been a lot more than just that.

At first I find it pretty entertaining, but then after sometime it just keep dragging on and it end up to be pretty much --- boring. I have no idea was the movie about when I first watch it, it seem like a nice independent production movie but in the end it was way too average propaganda movie with an American point of view of Canada.

The main reason I watch it was because I pretty much familiar with the actors Anna Paquin and Breckin Meyer. Most of their movie is pretty much watchable so I went along with it in this one. The story is so-so; nothing great can be said about it; except it makes Canada look like a really dreadful place and people are very much a freak.

Nothing much developed during the course of the movie except we get to learn the reasons why they wanted to move to Canada, and the rest is just gap filler. The paces of the film never change but keep constantly slow and somehow not one single moment of memorable scene.

I say the film might have work a whole lot better with other direction (and better script), cause this is way too simple and boring and nothing much has been added to help to set the mood of the film any better.

The best of the film got to be the casting and that what might be the only things that attract people to watch this movie. Their acting that was kept me watching it and nothing else.

Overall it is not a movie I would recommend to anyone, cause it just plain boring and one sided. There are some potential but the film has been made and it is not up to the par.

Reason To Watch: Anna Paquin and Breckin.

Reason Not To: Dreadful.

Rating: 4/10 (Grade: F)

The people who ripped into the movie for portraying a one-dimensional Canada or taking potshots at Bush are missing the point.

Canada as a locale in the movie is merely a convenient shorthand-- it could have been Mexico or the UK or Australia, the point is that it's a foreign country. Calling 'Blue State' "anti-Canadian propaganda" is a bit like calling South Park's portrayal of egghead Canadians "anti-Canadian propaganda".

And, it may be just me, but I felt that 'Blue State' pokes more fun at the Democrat zealot than of Dubya-- for a considerable portion of the movie, and when he's on tirade-mode, it seems to me that John is portrayed as a sad, almost ridiculous figure.

That aside, the leads are believable and exhibit romantic chemistry, and make their characters likable. Especially Breckin Meyer-- as written, John is a self-important, uptight person for most of the film, but Meyer imbues his character with humanity.

Overall a mild political satire and competent, heartfelt romantic road trip.

A self-mocking indictment against taking life too seriously, as ever the redeeming power of love wins out, with the moral - at the end - being that it is better to act locally than to run away.

As for suggestions that the movie is partisan, I think not, this is merely a matter of character portrayal.

Excellent acting by the hero and heroine. Very enjoyable and absorbing to watch.

A self-mocking indictment against taking life too seriously, as ever the redeeming power of love wins out, with the moral - at the end - being that it is better to act locally than to run away.

As for suggestions that the movie is partisan, I think not, this is merely a matter of character portrayal.

Excellent acting by the hero and heroine. Very enjoyable and absorbing to watch.

Considering that this movie is 15 years old when it was made in a bygone era when Georgy-Porgy was the President and this Democrat has a girlfriend who keeps arguing. Neither would I call it romantic nor a comedy. Its a ridiculous situation.