Bloomington (2010) Movie Review

『A Forbidden Romance Between a Former Child Star and a Charismatic Female Professor』

🎥 Movie Overview

🎬 Title: Bloomington (2010)
🌍 Country: 🇺🇸 United States
🎞️ Genre: Drama / Romance / Queer
📢 Director: Fernanda Cardoso
📺 Platform: Amazon Prime Video

👩‍💼 Cast: Allison McAtee – Catherine Stark
Sarah Stouffer – Jacqueline “Jackie” Kirk

🧩 In-Depth Story Exploration (Spoilers)

🌿 First Encounter Amidst Taboo and Anxiety

Jackie, a former child actress, enrolls at an Indiana university to pursue an independent life. She struggles to adapt to normal college life due to her past fame. In the counseling office, she meets psychology professor Catherine, infamous on campus as a seductive and mysterious woman rumored to entangle herself with young students.

💬 Confronting Emotions Honestly

Jackie meets Catherine amid her frustrations with college life and pressure from her mother. Catherine sees through Jackie’s past and approaches her psychologically, leading to a secret and intense romantic relationship. For Jackie, this relationship also functions as a form of surrogate motherhood, offering an adult who understands her. However, their social positions as professor and student cast a persistent shadow, creating tension.

✈️ Overcoming Fear, Expanding Love

Despite Catherine’s fear of flying, Jackie arranges a helicopter flight for her birthday. During the flight, Catherine overcomes her fear and confesses her love to Jackie, though the confession is lost in the quiet of the night while Jackie sleeps. This scene adds emotional depth and symbolizes the complexity of love and hurt in their relationship.

⚖️ Walls of Reality and Cracks

Jackie receives an opportunity to return as the lead in a film adaptation of her TV show. While this is her chance to start an independent adult acting career, it becomes a threat to maintaining her relationship with Catherine. Catherine, fearing Jackie’s departure, dates other men to destabilize the relationship. Ultimately, their relationship is exposed, Catherine loses her job, and before Jackie leaves to resume her acting career, the two share one final night together, officially acknowledging their farewell.

🦋 Emotional Resonance and Significance

🎬 Realistic Depiction of a Professor-Student Forbidden Relationship

Similar to 'Loving Annabelle', Bloomington portrays a same-sex relationship between a teacher and student, but with Jackie as an adult (18+) to avoid legal issues. Nevertheless, the age gap, Catherine’s power position (professor), and her notorious reputation for seducing students clearly illustrate the psychological/ethical power imbalance. The film emphasizes that the relationship is not merely romantic, focusing on the intense emotional struggle between love, jealousy, obsession, and independence.

📽️ Identity Exploration and Growth Narrative

The core of the film is Jackie’s coming-of-age journey. Through her relationship with Catherine, she gains independence from her mother, explores her sexual identity, and transitions from a former child star image to a new career. Jackie’s character also provides critical insight into Hollywood’s superficiality, the challenges of child actors, and the impact of being a lesbian on one’s career, offering a critical perspective on show business.

🎯 Personal Rating

💕 Love Scene Intensity: ♥♥
⭐ Rating: ★★★★☆