Plot Explained Spoilers guaranteed!
Plot Explained

Browse by genre

Blue Jasmine (2013) movie poster

Timeline

Blue Jasmine (2013) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2013 · 98 min · English
Starring
Cate Blanchett, Michael Stuhlbarg, Peter Sarsgaard, Alec Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Bobby Cannavale

Following the collapse of her opulent life and her husband’s deceit, socialite Jasmine seeks solace with her sister, Ginger, in San Francisco. Struggling to adjust to a more modest existence, Jasmine observes and critiques Ginger’s life while attempting to regain her own sense of dignity and purpose amidst the unfamiliar surroundings of the city.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Blue Jasmine
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Blue Jasmine (2013)

Where can you watch Blue Jasmine? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Fandango At Home: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

Streaming availability powered by JustWatch

15 events in order · contains spoilers

Blue Jasmine Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Blue Jasmine (2013) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Jasmine Arrives in San Francisco

    Jasmine arrives in San Francisco, fleeing her previous life in New York. She seeks refuge at her sister Ginger's cramped apartment, where her unexpected presence raises eyebrows among those around her.

    Where
    San Francisco
  2. A Fellow Passenger Reports Jasmine

    During her flight, a fellow passenger observes Jasmine talking to herself, indicating her fragile mental state. This moment foreshadows Jasmine's struggles to adapt to her new reality and mental health challenges.

  3. Flashback to Jasmine's Lavish Life

    Jasmine reflects on her past with Hal, her wealthy husband, revealing a life of luxury and turmoil. These flashbacks illustrate the stark contrast between her former opulence and her current situation.

  4. Ginger and Augie's Visit to New York

    Ginger and her husband, Augie, travel to New York for a visit, marking a significant event as they reunite after years. Jasmine goes out of her way to impress them with a luxury limousine ride to distance herself from the realities of her life.

    Where
    New York
  5. Ginger Wins the Lottery

    Ginger excitedly announces their recent lottery win of $200,000, which sparks discussion about starting a new construction business. Jasmine, eager to help, proposes that Hal manages their investment, complexities arise due to her relationship with Hal.

  6. Hal's Infidelity is Revealed

    As Jasmine's relationship with Hal unravels, Ginger witnesses Hal kissing another woman. This revelation creates a turbulent emotional environment, leading to a conflict of loyalty for Ginger, who struggles with whether to tell Jasmine.

  7. Hal's Downfall

    The situation escalates as Hal's unfaithfulness is coupled with his fraudulent activities, leading to significant consequences. Ultimately, Hal's suicide follows his imprisonment for fraud, highlighting the tragic fallout from his actions.

  8. Ginger Leaves Augie

    After facing an abusive marriage with Augie, Ginger makes the brave decision to leave him. She begins a new relationship with Chili, a mechanic, which marks a turning point in her life as she seeks happiness.

  9. Jasmine Pursues a New Career

    Jasmine attempts to reinvent herself by pursuing a career as an interior designer. However, her lack of computer skills becomes a significant hurdle, illustrating her struggles to adapt to a new reality beyond her former life.

  10. Harassment at Work

    Jasmine finds a job with Dr. Flicker, a dentist, but faces unwanted sexual advances. She bravely fights back against his harassment and decides to leave the job, showcasing her resilience amid adversity.

  11. Jasmine Meets Dwight

    At a party, Jasmine meets Dwight, a wealthy widower and aspiring congressman. Their connection offers Jasmine a sense of hope for a new life, but her past continues to loom over her.

  12. Ginger's Affair with Al

    While Jasmine navigates her new relationship, Ginger is caught in an affair with Al, a man she meets at the same party. This parallel relationship adds complexity to their lives and influences similarities in their choices.

  13. The Truth About Jasmine's Past

    As Jasmine fabricates details about her past, claiming her deceased husband was a doctor, her web of deceit begins to unravel. Augie confronts her, revealing the truth to Dwight just as he plans to propose.

  14. Confrontation with Her Stepson

    In a desperate attempt to reconnect, Jasmine reaches out to her estranged stepson, Danny. Their meeting ends painfully as Danny rejects her, wanting to sever ties with the traumatic past that Jasmine represents.

  15. Jasmine's Loneliness

    The film concludes with Jasmine sitting alone on a park bench, lost in deep thought and talking to herself. This poignant moment encapsulates her profound loneliness and the existential crisis she faces as she confronts her shattered dreams.

Last updated: November 03, 2024 at 22:44

Was this helpful?

Timeline questions answered

Blue Jasmine Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Blue Jasmine (2013): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why did Jasmine report her husband Hal to the authorities?

Jasmine discovered that Hal was having numerous affairs and had embezzled money from her sister Ginger and brother-in-law Augie. In a fit of rage after confronting his infidelity, she reported his fraudulent activities to the authorities, which led to his arrest, imprisonment, and eventual suicide.

Foreshadowing: Earlier flashbacks show Jasmine witnessing Hal's repeated infidelities, building her resentment toward him.

  • hal
  • jasmine
  • embezzlement
  • fraud
  • arrest
  • suicide
Q2

Why didn't Ginger tell Jasmine about seeing Hal kiss another woman?

Ginger struggled with whether to inform Jasmine about Hal's affair, ultimately deciding not to tell her. Ginger wanted to protect her sister from the pain of knowing the truth, though this decision also allowed the fraud to continue unchecked.

  • ginger
  • hal
  • affair
  • loyalty
  • secret
Q3

What happened to Ginger and Augie's $200,000 lottery money?

Hal embezzled Ginger and Augie's $200,000 lottery winnings, using the money for his own purposes while promising to invest it in a construction business. When Hal was exposed and imprisoned, the money was lost, destroying Augie's dream of financial independence.

Foreshadowing: Jasmine's eagerness to have Hal manage the investment planted the seeds for this betrayal.

  • lottery
  • money
  • augie
  • ginger
  • embezzlement
  • construction
Q4

Why does Jasmine's stepson Danny reject her at the end?

Danny blames Jasmine for reporting his father Hal to the authorities, which led to Hal's imprisonment and suicide. Even though Hal betrayed the family through infidelity and fraud, Danny holds Jasmine responsible for his father's downfall and wants nothing to do with her or the painful past she represents.

  • danny
  • stepson
  • hal
  • rejection
  • betrayal
Q5

Why does Jasmine lie to Dwight about her past?

Jasmine fabricates a false history, claiming her deceased husband was a doctor instead of a wealthy businessman who committed suicide after being exposed for fraud. She does this to make herself more presentable to Dwight, a wealthy aspirant congressman who represents the new life she desperately wants.

Foreshadowing: Her tendency to reinvent herself began when she arrived in San Francisco pretending to be someone she wasn't.

  • dwight
  • lie
  • deception
  • doctor
  • social-climbing
Q6

Why does Jasmine judge and criticize her sister Ginger's life?

Jasmine projects her own insecurities onto Ginger, criticizing her choices in men and lifestyle as a way to feel superior. Despite being financially ruined and dependent on Ginger, Jasmine maintains a sense of elitism from her former life, looking down on Ginger's modest existence.

  • ginger
  • criticism
  • class
  • superiority
  • insecurity
Q7

What happened between Jasmine and Dr. Flicker at the dental office?

Jasmine got a job working for Dr. Flicker, a dentist, but he made unwanted sexual advances toward her. She bravely rejected his harassment and quit the job, demonstrating her ability to stand up for herself despite her vulnerable situation.

  • dr flicker
  • dentist
  • harassment
  • job
  • rescue
Q8

Why does Augie blame Jasmine for his financial problems?

Augie holds Jasmine responsible for losing his $200,000 lottery money because she introduced Hal as their investment manager. Though Hal was the one who actually stole the funds, Augie directs his anger at Jasmine, whom he views as the source of his misfortune.

  • augie
  • blame
  • money
  • lottery
  • investment
Q9

Why does Ginger leave her husband Augie?

Ginger leaves Augie because he was abusive in their marriage. After escaping the abusive relationship, she begins dating Chili, a mechanic, marking a new chapter in her life away from violence.

  • ginger
  • augie
  • abuse
  • chili
  • divorce
  • mechanic
Q10

Why does Hal kill himself after being imprisoned for fraud?

Hal commits suicide after being exposed, arrested, and imprisoned for his financial crimes. The combination of public humiliation, loss of wealth, and the collapse of his carefully constructed life became unbearable, leading to his tragic end.

  • hal
  • suicide
  • prison
  • fraud
  • embarrassment
Q11

Why does Jasmine end up talking to herself on the park bench?

Jasmine's mental state deteriorates throughout the film due to the loss of her husband, her social status, and her failed attempts at redemption. Her isolated monologue at the end represents her profound loneliness and psychological break, trapped in her own delusions.

  • mental-health
  • loneliness
  • breakdown
  • delusion
  • isolation

Movie threads

More Movies Like Blue Jasmine, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Blue Jasmine tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about mental unraveling like Blue Jasmine

Intimate portraits of unraveling psyches under the weight of their own delusions. Explore a collection of movies like Blue Jasmine that focus on anxious character studies and psychological breakdowns. These films share a heavy emotional weight and a melancholic tone, often depicting the stark contrast between a character's former life and their current desperate reality.

  • anxious
  • unraveling
  • uneasy
  • psychological
  • desperate
  • reflective
  • Tone: melancholic, tense, bleak
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically follow a central character, often from a privileged background, as their carefully constructed identity and life collapse. The narrative structure often involves flashbacks contrasting past glory with present humiliation, methodically charting the character's descent into isolation and mental crisis.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together for their sharp focus on a single character's psychological disintegration. They share a high-intensity, emotionally heavy atmosphere, a steady pacing that allows for deep character study, and a dominant melancholic tone that results in a bleak, reflective feeling.

Riches to rags satire dramas similar to Blue Jasmine

Scathing observations of privilege and the painful comedown when fortunes reverse. If you liked the social satire and class commentary in Blue Jasmine, discover more movies about financial ruin and the fall from grace. These films feature characters confronting a stark new reality after losing their wealth, often with a critical and melancholic perspective.

  • satirical
  • critical
  • melancholic
  • downfall
  • class disparity
  • fraudulent
  • Tone: satirical, melancholic, critical
  • Pacing: steady, observational
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a character's forced journey from a life of opulence to one of modesty or poverty. The conflict is internal (pride, identity crisis) and external (navigating a unfamiliar world), with the story serving as a vehicle for sharp observations on class, materialism, and the fragility of social standing.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a central theme of dramatic financial and social descent. They are united by a critical, often satirical look at class disparity, a heavy emotional weight stemming from loss and humiliation, and a consistently melancholic or bleak atmosphere that underscores the permanence of the downfall.

If you liked this

Movies Like Blue Jasmine

Similar movies to Blue Jasmine: the same genre, themes or kind of story. Each one comes with its own plot summary, timeline and ending explained.

Browse all movie summaries

Every angle

Blue Jasmine (2013) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Blue Jasmine in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

Coming soon on iOS and Android

The Plot Explained Movie Summary App

Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.

Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.

Learn more about the app