Blue Jay
Orchard, The | Release Date: October 7, 2016 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
69
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 16 Critic Reviews
Positive:
13
Mixed:
3
Negative:
0
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Entertainment WeeklyJoey NolfiOct 6, 2016
Instead of treating puppy love like child’s play, Blue Jay savors the fantasy of foundations built in adolescence, kindled while the heart is still young, and draws out the agonizing reality that romance ultimately fizzles out of necessity as we age and mature. Read full review
83
IndieWireSteve GreeneSep 23, 2016
Blue Jay doesn’t lean on destiny or succumb to the easy refrain that time is a great equalizer. There’s genuine happiness here, but heartbreak is always right behind it. Read full review
80
We Got This CoveredRobert Yaniz Jr.Oct 11, 2016
Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass shine in Blue Jay, a charming nostalgia trip tackling heady themes in a manner that is both lovingly awkward and brutally real. Read full review
80
TheWrapAlonso DuraldeOct 6, 2016
Blue Jay never seems all that interested in breaking new ground, but its success at providing small pleasures – and memorable performances – makes it worth a look. Read full review
75
RogerEbert.comBrian TallericoOct 7, 2016
A gentle, genuine trip down memory lane that features one of our best actresses in the kind of role she doesn’t get to play that often, and another great turn in the arc of an independent film icon. Read full review
75
The A.V. ClubMike D'AngeloOct 5, 2016
Duplass and Paulson counteract the deliberately banal dialogue (Duplass also wrote the screenplay) with superbly anxious body language; Jim and Amanda’s “casual,” “amiable” chitchat is so painfully forced that it’s a wonder nothing ruptures. Read full review
75
Slant MagazineChuck BowenOct 2, 2016
Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson have extraordinary chemistry, painting a cumulative portrait of the fragility and rareness of being truly in sync with a partner. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Brad WheelerSep 15, 2016
The script is loose; the acting is natural and nuanced. Over the credits plays an acoustic song about lives in the how-did-we-get-here stage. If you do not leave this Netflix movie asking questions about your own paths, the failing is yours, not Duplass’s. Read full review
70
Village VoiceSerena DonadoniOct 5, 2016
Lehmann shot Blue Jay in a gorgeous black-and-white that looks like silver gelatin prints (a photographic process that captures boundless gradations of gray), which complements the story's heartfelt simplicity. Read full review
70
The Hollywood ReporterJon FroschSep 23, 2016
Luckily, Blue Jay boasts a handful of fresh, piercingly poignant scenes that cut through the cloud of déjà vu. It also has a not-so-secret weapon in the formidable Paulson, who deserves much of the credit for whatever emotional punch the film delivers. Read full review
67
The PlaylistKevin JagernauthOct 3, 2016
Lehmann’s real imprint isn’t found in the visuals, but in the performances evoked from both Duplass and Paulson. While the former may have the showstopper moments, it’s the latter who stands out. Read full review
67
The Film StageJordan RuimySep 23, 2016
The story is a simple one, and sometimes it might feel a little too slight for it own good, but Paulson carries it all the way through with bravado acting. Read full review
63
Movie NationRoger MooreOct 3, 2016
Paulson and Duplass make all this talk (never once mumbling) fascinating, lived-in and real, taking us into the sad, lost lives of these two long lost lovers. Read full review
60
The New York TimesStephen HoldenOct 6, 2016
Nostalgia gives way to melodrama, and dramatic truth to soapy histrionics, and Blue Jay falters on a formulaic revelation about mistakes made and lessons learned too late. Read full review
60
Screen DailyTim GriersonSep 23, 2016
Although Blue Jay is a warm, likable film, it doesn’t offer anything new to say about nostalgia, the passage of time or living with regret. Read full review
50
Los Angeles TimesGary GoldsteinOct 13, 2016
The largely improvisational approach as well as the limited settings and story arc also undercut the picture’s deeper dramatic potential — despite a powerful, beautifully performed finale. Read full review
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