The Duplass brothers signed a four-picture deal with Netflix in early 2015. Now the trailer for the first of those films is available, which already seems to be more solid footing than Sandler’s first couple of Netflix outings.
Shot in black and white, Blue Jay looks to be focused on a small story, even by the Duplass brothers’ indie standards. Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson play one-time high school sweethearts who have a happenstance encounter in their hometown. As the two reconnect in a local grocery store, Paulson appears to be the one visiting from out of town, while Duplass has remained home.
While the dialogue (and quick glimpse of a ring) suggests that Paulson’s character is married, the trailer avoids hinting at extramarital affairs or spousal unhappiness. Instead, as the pair spends the day reminiscing about long-dormant affections, Blue Jay seems to be tackling a more nuanced story about how intense feelings remain and shape us long after formative relationships slip from our lives. The footage flirts up to the edge of a rekindled romance without stepping beyond a mutually regarded line, but whether a dramatic twist upsets the calm in Alex Lehmann’s directorial debut remains to be seen. Blue Jay opens to a limited theatrical release October 7, followed by VOD on October 11.