Film review: Blue Jean is a gripping account of a woman coming to terms with being gay

Rosy McEwen and Kerrie Hayes have a wonderfully believable chemistry in the lead roles

Blue Jean is written and directed by Georgia Oakley.

Set in Newcastle in the 1980s, Blue Jean (15A) stars Rosy McEwen as Jean, a PE teacher popular with staff and pupils at her local comprehensive.

Whether Jean would be as respected if people knew she was a lesbian is what drives Jean to lead a secret life, where she’s happy in her relationship with Viv (Kerrie Hayes) — until, that is, new pupil Lois (Lucy Halliday) walks into the gay bar where Jean is playing pool. Fascinated by Jean, Lois refuses to accept that Jean must “create boundaries as a teacher”, not least because Margaret Thatcher’s government is pushing through the infamous Section 28, legislation prohibiting the promotion of homosexuality by local authorities.