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Movies / Upcoming / Forty Shades of Blue
Forty Shades of Blue

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Forty Shades of Blue (2005)

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Reviews Counted:50

Fresh:31

Rotten:19

Average Rating:6.3/10

Consensus: In its portrayal of a woman's awakening and disillusionment, Forty Shades of Blue is as nuanced as its title would suggest.

Rated: 15

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:30-06-2006

Synopsis: FORTY SHADES OF BLUE tells the story of Laura, a young Russian woman living in Memphis with a much older rock 'n roll legend, and the personal awakening she experiences in the wake of her... FORTY SHADES OF BLUE tells the story of Laura, a young Russian woman living in Memphis with a much older rock 'n roll legend, and the personal awakening she experiences in the wake of her unfortunate affair with his estranged son. Alan James is a legend in Memphis, a white man who produced black music back in the 60's and 70's, the heyday of Memphis Soul. Now in his later years, he's still living the high life in a comfortable house in the right part of town. Alan lives with his girlfriend, Laura, a Russian beauty he met on tour in Moscow. Laura spends most of her time alone or raising their three-year-old son, Sam. A stranger in Memphis, she lives an easy, alienated life, Alan also has a grown son, Michael, with whom he has a complicated relationship fueled by jealousy, disappointment and anger. When Michael returns home for the first time in many years, the initial hostility he radiates towards his father's "girl" develops into something much more, and a messy, dangerous affair ensues. In the bars and bedrooms of this very contemporary city, a love triangle forms, illuminating the hearts and souls of these three tangled lives. Starring veteran actor Rip Torn as Alan, Darren Burrows as Michael, and Dina Korzun as Laura, the woman caught between them, FORTY SHADES OF BLUE was shot on location in Memphis, Tennessee – the hometown of director/co-writer Ira Sachs – and where he made THE DELTA, his first feature film. Screened at the Sundance and Toronto festivals, THE DELTA was distributed in the US by Strand Releasing. Rip Torn's magnetic performance in FORTY SHADES OF BLUE is a return to the kind of lead roles he was known for in the 70s, in films like PAYDAY, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, and the seminal COMING APART. For Dina Korzun, it's her first role in an American film, a stunning follow up to her award winning performance in Pawel Pawlikowski's LAST RESORT. The Producers of FORTY SHADES OF BLUE are Margot Bridger (THE DELTA, JESUS' SON, SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK), Donald Rosenfeld (HOWARD'S END, REMAINS OF THE DAY), Jawal Nga (THE CLEARING), Mary Bing and Sachs. The film was developed and produced in association with Mirage Enterprises. Executive Producers are Geoff Stier (UP AT THE VILLA, POLISH WEDDING) and Diane Von Furstenberg, whose clothes are worn by Korzun throughout the film. --© Official Site [More]

Starring: Rip Torn, Darren E. Burrows, Dina Korzun, Paprika Steen

Starring: Rip Torn, Darren E. Burrows, Dina Korzun, Paprika Steen

Director: Ira Sachs

Director: Ira Sachs
Studio: First Look

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Reviews for Forty Shades of Blue

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41 - 60 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Might just as well be called Forty Shades of Boredom.

Full Review Source: Spirituality and Practice | comment Comment
10/13/05
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice

Director Ira Sachs moves to the rhythms of his native Memphis, teasing emotional resonance out of geography.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Weekly | comment Comment
10/12/05
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly

So shallow and abhorrent, one might find themselves trying to think of all the different shades of blue mentioned in the title instead of paying attention to what's going on

Full Review Source: FilmJerk.com | comment Comment
10/08/05
Edward Havens
Edward Havens
FilmJerk.com
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: AV Club | comment Comment
10/08/05
AV Club
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It feels mighty real, and veteran Torn's almost all-impulse performance adds greatly to the sense of life unfolding, in its messy uncertainty and grabbed-for satisfaction, right before our eyes.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Daily News | comment Comment
10/07/05
Bob Strauss
Bob Strauss
Los Angeles Daily News

Forty Shades of Blue is a daring film, full of muffled yet suggestive moments.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles Times | comment Comment
10/06/05
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A jolt of backwoods moonshine whiskey injected into the veins of the atrophied American relationship drama.

Full Review Source: L.A. Weekly | comment Comment
10/06/05
Scott Foundas
Scott Foundas
L.A. Weekly

Rip Torn's volcanic turn elevates the awakening story of a pretty Russian immigrant that's marred by rambling narrative and unexciting direction, also evident in Sachs' debut

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
10/06/05
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Hits plenty of wrong notes.

Full Review Source: Film Journal International | comment Comment
10/06/05
Doris Toumarkine
Doris Toumarkine
Film Journal International

A small-scale triumph.

Full Review Source: Reel.com | comment Comment
09/30/05
Timothy Knight
Timothy Knight
Reel.com

remarkable and challenging

Full Review Source: Filmcritic.com | comment Comment
09/30/05
Jeremiah Kipp
Jeremiah Kipp
Filmcritic.com

The film's haunting final freeze-frame offers a visual paradox: Laura is suspended in time yet finally free.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
09/30/05
John Beifuss
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

In its maturity and willingness to look at the complexity of adult lives, the movie is a refreshing if solemn rarity.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
09/30/05
E! Online
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Forty Shades of Blue may be praised for bringing an often ignored character into the spotlight. But once she's there, we can guess why she's so often kept in the wings.

Full Review Source: Newark Star-Ledger | comment Comment
09/29/05
Stephen Whitty
Stephen Whitty
Newark Star-Ledger

Ira Sachs's beautiful, melancholy film, winner of the top prize at Sundance this year, features a passionate performance by Rip Torn as a legendary record producer.

comment Comment
09/28/05
A.O. Scott
A.O. Scott
New York Times
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It's worth sticking with 40 Shades of Blue to catch two of the year's most richly detailed pieces of acting.

Full Review Source: New York Post | comment Comment
09/28/05
Lou Lumenick
Lou Lumenick
New York Post

A rare serving of adept regional indie cinema.

Full Review Source: Village Voice | comment Comment
09/27/05
Michael Atkinson
Michael Atkinson
Village Voice

There hasn't been a [Sundance] Grand Jury Prize winner this terrific since Tom Noonan's What Happened Was…

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
07/08/05
Keith Uhlich
Keith Uhlich
Slant Magazine

A muted but nicely observed study of a Russian woman's gradual estrangement from her domineering Memphis music-legend husband.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
04/02/05
Todd McCarthy
Todd McCarthy
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Despite Torn's always lively presence and a stunning performance from Russian actress Dina Korzun, this is predictable soap opera stuff, served up with such hamfisted self-importance that patience chokes on even a small portion.

Full Review Source: Boxoffice Magazine | comment Comment
03/13/05
Ray Greene
Ray Greene
Boxoffice Magazine
 
 
41 - 60 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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Latest News for Forty Shades of Blue

January 31, 2005: "Forty Shades of Blue" Takes Top Award at Sundance
Ira Sachs' "Forty Shades of Blue" took the grad prize for drama at Sundance, the New York Daily News reports. "Hustle & Flow," directed by Craig Brewer,... More...

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