This year's TIFF lineup was gifted not one but two new films from the iconic Richard Linklater. Whether it be his breakout Dazed and Confused, the incredible Before Trilogy, or Jack Black's best work in School of Rock, Linklater has something for everyone, and his two films this year show how wide a range he has as a filmmaker. I was able to see Nouvelle Vague during the festival, a black and white retelling of the making of Jean Luc Godard's Breathless which was almost entirely in French. Now in theatres at the same time as Nouvelle Vague is Blue Moon, the film I was less interested in between the two but the one that I surprisingly wound up liking even more.
Blue Moon is set on the opening night of the iconic musical Oklahoma! and follows Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) as he slips away from the performance and into the restaurant where the opening night celebrations will take place. Oklahoma! was the first project his working partner Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) composed without him, so naturally he makes way to the bar with a sense of cynicism. What follows is a night of celebration and philosophical ramblings about art as Hart dwells in jealousy, all while trying to win the love of Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), a student less than half his age.
Perhaps what I love most about this one is how much it feels like a stage play. Almost the entirety of the film is set in the one restaurant with different characters coming in and out as Hart goes about his night. With a story centered around the theatre world, this play-like vibe perfectly fits the tone of the film and feels very authentic to the characters themselves. Hart in particular is an outgoing personality to the point of boisterousness at times, but his large persona doesn't feel over the top or out there due to the stage-like quality Linklater brings.
Hawke's performance certainly takes on a theatrical quality, bringing Hart's exuberant nature out wonderfully. The Before Trilogy are some of my favourite films of all time thanks largely to how well Hawke can banter, and Blue Moon's sharp screenplay gives him a chance to ramble like crazy and I loved it. The dialogue is frankly perfect, allowing Hart to stand out but also giving the supporting cast the chance to equal him. Andrew Scott as the serious side of the Hart/Rodgers duo works to perfection, showing a clear disconnect in personality between the two collaborators but also still holding the admiration for Hart's work. Scott seems like such a fun guy in real life that it's almost jarring to see him play this so straight faced, but the contrast between him and Hawke is just perfect.
One standout performance I wasn't expecting is Bobby Cannavale as Eddie, the restaurant's bartender. As really the only character not tied to the theatre world, Eddie offers an interesting contrast to Hart and their conversations are fascinating. Hart also ropes in the piano player Morty (Jonah Lees), and those two are the main people that he can be honest about his feelings towards Oklahoma! with. Once the party arrives he mostly puts on a show of loving it for everyone involved, but with Eddie and Morty he is far more open and I loved the way the three bounced off of each other. Margaret Qualley is also terrific, bringing her charm and infectious energy to a character who is essentially becoming Hart's muse. Where I really loved her performance though is in one scene of just her and Hart alone in the coat room where she tells him a story, as this is really the only point in the film where Hart shuts up. It's something so small but the simple idea of him finally letting someone else be the main character for a bit shows just how much he's fallen for her.
For as fun and witty as the film is, it's also pretty damn sad. Hart's obsession with Elizabeth can rub you the wrong way due to her age, but seeing him so clearly in love with her as she gives her love to those who care for her less is pretty heartbreaking. Even more of an emotional punch though is seeing Rodgers and his new songwriter Oscar Hammerstein receive so much love while Hart sits on the outside. Hart is admittedly pretty self-absorbed and high on himself, but through his exuberant persona you can see the jealousy tugging at him at his former collaborator's success. I think it owes a lot to Hawke's charm and Linklater's filmmaking that we feel so much for Hart despite his flaws, and that empathy you feel for him makes every piece of dialogue feel just a little more important.
All in all, I loved this movie. Linklater transports you right into a restaurant in the early 40s and delivers some of the most fun dialogue you'll see this year. It's a much more emotionally rich story than I expected, and Hawke gives one of his best performances in recent memory. An absolute delight. 4.5/5
Comments
Post a Comment