Film crew for big Hollywood blockbuster rolls into a sleepy American town and causes havoc and mayhem.
This is the premise for David Mamet's latest film - 'State and Main'.
The cast reads like a whose who of talent. William H Macy as the Producer, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the writer, Sarah Jessica Parker as the female lead and Alec Baldwin as the male lead. Providing able support is Charles Durning as the towns mayor and David Paymer as the studio executive.
Now being a David Mamet film, it goes without saying that one of the leads goes to his wife Rebecca Pidgeon. She plays one of the local townfolk, head of the amateur dramatic society, and becomes a pivotal force in the life of the writer who is suddenly sent into a frenzy when the script for the film 'The Old Mill' has to be rewritten because they don't have an 'Old Mill' to shoot in any more.
A fledgling love interest starts between them, much to the consternation of local political type and former fiancee (Clark Gregg).
He exacts his revenge by gunning for the Producer, demanding the towns cut of the adjusted gross as well as pursuing a prosecution against the films male lead who becomes embroiled with a local girl (Julia Stiles).
Now of course this does not have a positive effect on Macy's character, as he tries to keep the picture together with only 3 days until principal photography begins.
'State and Main' is a great film for those that are involved in the film industry and can appreciate the constant barrage of witty and subtle digs aimed at them. The script positively crackles with energy and there is rarely a dull moment in the entire film.
The performances are all top drawer, with special kudos going to Macy and Hoffman. Macy plays a Producer very well - constantly with a phone in one ear and a disaster being relayed into the other. Hoffman is also very good - a writer on his first big film who is struck by a pang of guilt when he witnesses the shennagins of the leading man with the local girl and doesn't say anything for fear of being fired.
If I had to pick a fault with any performance it would be that of Rebecca Pidgeon - her refined accent and well groomed look is out of place for a small town - she is much better when she applies her talents to period dramas like Winslow Boy. It is a minor quibble though.
'State and Main' is a great film and will not fail to entertain.
9 out of 10
This is the premise for David Mamet's latest film - 'State and Main'.
The cast reads like a whose who of talent. William H Macy as the Producer, Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the writer, Sarah Jessica Parker as the female lead and Alec Baldwin as the male lead. Providing able support is Charles Durning as the towns mayor and David Paymer as the studio executive.
Now being a David Mamet film, it goes without saying that one of the leads goes to his wife Rebecca Pidgeon. She plays one of the local townfolk, head of the amateur dramatic society, and becomes a pivotal force in the life of the writer who is suddenly sent into a frenzy when the script for the film 'The Old Mill' has to be rewritten because they don't have an 'Old Mill' to shoot in any more.
A fledgling love interest starts between them, much to the consternation of local political type and former fiancee (Clark Gregg).
He exacts his revenge by gunning for the Producer, demanding the towns cut of the adjusted gross as well as pursuing a prosecution against the films male lead who becomes embroiled with a local girl (Julia Stiles).
Now of course this does not have a positive effect on Macy's character, as he tries to keep the picture together with only 3 days until principal photography begins.
'State and Main' is a great film for those that are involved in the film industry and can appreciate the constant barrage of witty and subtle digs aimed at them. The script positively crackles with energy and there is rarely a dull moment in the entire film.
The performances are all top drawer, with special kudos going to Macy and Hoffman. Macy plays a Producer very well - constantly with a phone in one ear and a disaster being relayed into the other. Hoffman is also very good - a writer on his first big film who is struck by a pang of guilt when he witnesses the shennagins of the leading man with the local girl and doesn't say anything for fear of being fired.
If I had to pick a fault with any performance it would be that of Rebecca Pidgeon - her refined accent and well groomed look is out of place for a small town - she is much better when she applies her talents to period dramas like Winslow Boy. It is a minor quibble though.
'State and Main' is a great film and will not fail to entertain.
9 out of 10