charlytully Review of The Hottest State

The Hottest State (2006)

How to save 96 minutes if you got this DVD for free

[5/10 · 2 January 2009]

This comment is aimed at those people who got the DVD of THE HOTTEST STATE as a gift from someone (or as part of a blind "grab bag" purchase, part of an inheritance, part of a theft, etc.), and are curious to see an Ethan Hawke project talk love to death WITHOUT involving Julie Delpy (BEFORE SUNRISE & BEFORE SUNSET). Rather than watching this 117-minute feature, the DVD gives you the option of viewing STRAIGHT TO ONE, a 21-minute, 29-second short from 1994 by Hawke. STO features the apparent precursors to feature protagonist William's parents Vince and Jesse in the early days of their marriage. (These characters are called Jim & Leslie Green in the short, and are played by actors who do not appear in the feature.) The story arc of the short is similar to that of the feature's two main characters, especially on an emotional level. Perhaps Hawke's message in the feature (and the combined package) is that we are doomed to repeat the mistakes of our parents. This gloomy sentiment probably goes down better in a shorter dose.