Blue Jean

There's a Section that's enacted to create, prejudice, intolerance and hate, treating people in a way, causing division, leaving no say, this is what Britain had come to in those days (although lift a few stones and you find it's not actually progressed that much since) - as Jean, a PE teacher, brilliantly performed by Rosy McEwen, struggles with her sexuality becoming known to her colleagues and her students, and the impact that might have on her career, especially as the teenage Lois has begun her journey of discovery and self-awareness. I thought Kerrie Harris put in a great performance as Jean's partner Viv too. Well worth watching, not only for the performances but as a reminder of a world that's not that long passed.

Blue Jean presents to us the struggles of a woman who is trying to blend into the heteronormative world during a time where homosexuals were politically vilified and othered, whilst trying to protect her position and integrity as a teacher.

It deals with more than just the base subject matter of what could be seen as a run-of-the-mill exploration of what it was/is like to live in a world like this where the politicalisation of a person's nature is used against them in order to misdirect the general public from actual issues of the times.

It delicately portrays the effects that it has on Jean, and by proxy, others, who internalises the prejudices which they experience, and how this behaviour affects how she not only treats herself - by isolating herself from the world at large, but also how she treats those closest to her while she sees that others within the community accepts themselves and lives openly without shame, albeit by not having, what could be seen as, white collared jobs.

Caught within the crossfire of Jean struggling to accept her nature is Lois, a student of Jean's, who is being bullied for reasons which you can surmise... Leading Jean to abandon Lois in a time of need.

The movie, for me, falls just short of having a cathartic release, but it highlights the relief that a person can have by coming to terms with their own nature, and righting the wrongs that they have caused, even if in part. As well as the importance of having a close and supportive community.

Solid performances from the entire cast makes this movie feel real. It reflects the life that people lived and continues to live. A worthwhile watch, as it is also a reflection of the time that we live in now.

As someone who knew gay/lesbian teachers at the time of section 28, this hits home. Anyone who tells you that the relationships/visuals/attitudes or experience of these lesbians isn't real/true/believable might need to find a few lesbians who would be happy to educate them. Some reviewers get to hide their prejudice under a film review on a website & don't take in the lesson the film is trying to teach them. Times were bad, they still aren't great but it's essential that stories like this (representing ppl like this) are told and ppl get a chance to try to understand a story about ppl they previously only saw as a torrent of negative newspaper headlines. The film feels real, likewise the characters & acting are all spot on. No cast member is misplaced. Proper good.

Set in 1988 Newcastle, Blue Jean follows a closeted PE teacher as she navigates the oppressive climate of Section 28 legislation, which threatens her livelihood if her sexuality is revealed, which Rosy does brilliantly through the film. This was recommended to me. I feel the film conveys 80s Northern England & the struggles that people like me would have gone through pretty well, despite being born a long time after 1988. I felt like the film addresses the impact of Section 28 pretty well, as one of the characters feels the need to hide her sexuality due to the fear of losing her job under the legislation, whilst another shows the tension & secrecy that LGBTQ+ individuals faced as students.

The closet she came!, and all the rest of the tyneside dykes and dallies, in the roaring 80's british lgbtq+ redemtion movement, a time where gay and lesbians really stood out as real individualees, fighting for the rights to be equaly treated by society trying to squelch the heterosexual dominance on common settings in life like being the teacher and nurse and coalminer as they were educated as, without meing branded as children molestors and pedophiles, which was a normal rank in these days...

a really emotional flick about lesbianism in the thickest of geordieland, up on the northeast coast of england,where the pitches are so muddy and the only thing you dream of is sun and sand, just like the fight the main caracter in this flick goes through. Being in a rather voulnarable position as a P. E. teacher at the local school youre able to follow the ups and downs of her social life as well as her professional careere, as well as her abilities to sipht out new young girls on the block, which in the end becomes a harrowing threat that will stigmatize and ruin her life as a working teacher.

Loads of good old dj emeralds youll hear if viewing blue jean, well entwined into the bleach and grey landscape of blustery tyneside, ill be better of going to yewtree gardens or maybe it was peartree somewhere walkerville ne6 4tr, a very well made gay movie for sure...

so lets break the walls down in the end, just like the romans did in...wallsend...be proud of yourself whoever you are and have a good time viewing mrs mcewen, quite an enchanting one. A recommend from the ever so grumpy old man.