Blue

There’s been such a rampant sexualization of the “Asian” and specifically, Japanese schoolgirl that I still feel trepidation to watch movies about them. And yet, my fears are unfounded nearly every single time. When it comes to actual feature films about Japanese schoolgirls, all the ones I know of aren’t horny exploitation. I guess that’s what actual porn is for. With actual movies though, such schoolgirl narratives are generally gentle, subtle and rarely overly sexual. But we’re not talking about all Japanese schoolgirl movies today. We’re just talking about the 2003 film, Blue. Which, true to my description is a gentle, subtle film that’s sensitive to the lives and feelings of teen girls, even the queer ones.

At Kayako Kirishima’s school, fellow classmate Endo is escorted out one day in an ambulance. Rumours abound as to why and Endo becomes something of a pariah. However, after kindness from Endo, Kayako becomes friends with her. And it’s a much closer friendship than she has with her other friends. The girls’ feelings develop into something closer to romance than friendship. However, Endo’s past comes up as she has not quite closed that chapter of her life. As Kayako continues to deal with the strength of her feelings towards Endo, she becomes increasingly aware that while Endo is her first priority and person she loves the most, Endo might not feel that same intensity of feeling in return.

Blue is a pretty gentle movie. It’s a melancholic look at teenage growth and relationships. It manages to balance the intensity of teenage feelings with scenes of gentleness and silence. The strength of Kayako’s feelings is never in doubt. But the film deftly underplays it, having Kayako suffer in silence and repress much of her intense emotions at all turns. In place of a melodrama or shallow exaggeration of teenage behaviour, Blue finds the subtlety and lingers in moments of quietness and uneasy peace.

As gentle as the story is, at two hours long, Blue covers a lot of ground. Kayako doesn’t spend the whole film crushing silently on Endo. Seeming as though it causes her physical pain to speak, she admits her feelings for Endo. And after a gripping silence, Endo responds. The film then follows their relationship in the second half and the subsequent fallout that occurs when a crush becomes a reality. These girls are young and imperfect. And while Endo and Kayako are on the same page about many things, the intensity of their feelings differs. It doesn’t happen right away, but their sweet relationship begins to degrade as real life sets in and the things they differ on become more important than the similarities which drew them together.

Through the film, there is an undertone of how same-sex relationship are less than within Japan. This is a contributing factor in to Endo and Kayako’s conflict. Kayako wants to go all-in on Endo. She’s tunnel-visioned the way only a teenager can be. But even she knows there’s a limit to how they can be together. Perhaps they can live together like a married couple, but they won’t actually be one. Poor Kayako and Endo both search for validation and structure for their teenage relationship. But because they’re both girls, they find little. Meanwhile, Endo’s previous relationship with an older man is in all ways, more legitimate to the outside world, including in there being “evidence” of their union, even if unwanted. Both girls’ relationships with men draw unwanted attention and judgment. Whereas their relationship with each other is nearly invisible to all except each other.

Blue is a gentle, sweet, sad depiction of teenage relationships and growing up. It fits into the fairly large subgenre of movies about introverted queer teens. Within that genre, I think it does well in its executions. The film’s slowness and silences remain gripping, even to my impatient ass. And the story told feels realistic and pleasingly underplayed. Blue finds itself in the quiet moments, and is happy to linger there and construct this gentle romance and the tragedy that comes with it.

Overall rating: 6.9/10

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