BLUE MOON is an actor’s showcase for Ethan Hawke, who disappears in the performance of Lorenz Hart. The film takes place entirely in a bar on opening night for the Broadway smash hit – OKLAHOMA! (with an exclamation point). And if it weren’t for the whip-smart dialogue, Richard Linklater’s direction, and the Oscar-worthy performance by Hawke, it wouldn’t be worth seeing.
Let’s talk about Hawke, and I’m just going to say it – the dude doesn’t get enough credit for all that he’s done. Just this year, he starred in the horror hit, BLACK PHONE 2, stole the show in a Hunter S. Thompson-like role in THE LOWDOWN, and is more than likely going to get an Oscar nomination as the self-loathing Lorenz “nobody ever loved me that much” Hart in BLUE MOON. That hatred for himself allows him to be obsessed with Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley), even though he knows the feeling isn’t mutual. And their dialogue is touchingly heartbreaking.
Elsewhere, it’s great to see Bobby Cannavale as the confident bartender, Eddie, and everyone’s favorite Andrew Scott playing the logically reasoned Richard Rodgers.
With all the love I have for the cast and Robert Kaplow’s dialogue, I would be remiss not to mention the film’s pacing. The first act of BLUE MOON is dreadfully slow, as audiences watch Hart pine for Elizabeth on repeat. However, once everyone arrives at the bar, which is clearly inspired by CASABLANCA’s Rick’s Café, everything moves at a breakneck pace that’s highly enjoyable.
Final Thought: Pour a shot of whiskey and watch the downfall and birth of some of the greatest Broadway creators of all time. It’s a fun, wordy Oscar-bait film that’s sure to bore audiences and receive critical acclaim.
It’s available in theatres now.
