Editors note: Get ready to be transported back to Margaret Thatcher’s Britain under the “Section 28” law in Blue Jean, Georgia Oakley’s debut feature premiering in the Venice Days section of the Venice Film Festival. Originally published on September 3, 2022, this review is a must-read before the movie opens Friday in New York via Magnolia Pictures.
Blue Jean tells the story of a lesbian gym teacher, Jean (Rosy McEwen), who is forced to navigate a world where being true to herself is illegal. Section 28, a law introduced by Prime Minister Thatcher’s Conservative government in 1988, banned local authorities from “promoting homosexuality” in the UK. The impact of this law has rarely been shown on screen, especially from a female perspective, making Blue Jean a refreshing and educational watch.
Jean teaches at an all-girls school and is constantly aware of the impact any gossip about her private life could have on her job and reputation. At night, she goes to gay bars with her girlfriend Viv (Kerrie Hayes), where she can almost relax. But when Jean’s sister asks for babysitting favors, Jean shuts down again, aware that the law has made her a suspicious figure even to her family.
The film is a vivid account of a life lived partially in secret and the impact on everyone involved, from Jean to Viv to the girls in gym class. One of these girls is Lois (Lucy Halliday), a new pupil who struggles to fit in and whom Jean spots in a gay bar. Conflicts and moral dilemmas abound, but they’re not always what you might expect.
While not all of the dialogue in Blue Jean feels convincing, the emotions felt by its complex female lead certainly convince, despite being mostly held inside. McEwen leads a very effective cast in this poignant personal-political drama, which also happens to have a cracking retro soundtrack.
Title: Blue Jean
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Release date: June 9, 2023 (New York)
Director-screenwriter: Georgia Oakley
Cast: Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Lucy Halliday
Running time: 1 hr 37 min
