Review: Blue

Blue tells the story of one woman’s struggles with mental health. She has many losses to deal with and searches for a reason to keep on living.

There are many movies with Blue in the title. This one is from 2018, written and directed by Gabriela Ledesma. The film is based on her own mental health journey.

Helen (Callie Schuttera) is caring for her one relative, her dying grandmother. By the time that ordeal is over, Helen is fired from her job for frequent absences. She has no support system, no friends. Because of the rats that sometimes infiltrate the house, the one thing she does have is a box of rat poison.

She drinks a bowl of soup laced with rat poison.

The plan fails. She ends up in the hospital under the care of a psychiatric nurse (Laura Schein) and a no nonsense psychiatrist, Dr. Carol (Judith Scott).

As she’s gimping around the hospital with her behind hanging out of a gown, she meets Robert (Shaw Jones).

When she’s released, Robert gives her a job and becomes her friend. With the team of health professionals behind her and Robert helping her along, Helen begins the long and winding journey toward wellness. The majority of the film is Helen’s journey.

Not all the actors in this film are smooth and natural. Sometimes I wished they tried another take. But the emotions are there. Watching Helen learn about herself, her family history, and her wish to get better feels real and true.

The many versions of a desire to commit suicide discussed in Helen’s group therapy sessions all come across as very real, as well.

Blue isn’t the most polished piece of film making you’ll ever see. But it is a honest look at a serious problem. It tells one woman’s story. Every woman’s story added to the collective is important.

Here’s a look at the trailer. I watched it on Prime Video, and it’s available from other streamers too.