State and Main (2001). 2 1/2 stars out of 4. Starring William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Paymer, Rebecca Pidgeon, Charles Durning, Patti Lupone and Clark Gregg. Written and directed by David Mamet. Rated R.
Previously when dealing with the movies, most notably in Hurlyburly, David Mamet has used his pen as a scalpel to satirically slice the industry. But in his latest venture, State and Main, the playwright is content with using his writing instrument as a feather merely to tickle the industry.
The premise is simplicity itself. A movie company, after losing its New Hampshire location, settles upon the sleepy little town of Waterford, Vt., to film The Old Mill. Waterford seems perfect; it has a firehouse and an old mill ó at least according to a brochure about the town.
Unfortunately, after settling on Waterford and making all the arrangements needed to film, director Walt Price (William H. Macy) and his production crew discover that the brochure is a bit out of date ó the mill was destroyed during a rash of suspicious fires back in 1960.
So, first-time screenwriter Joe White (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a promising young playwright, must revamp his script while at the same time searching for a manual typewriter to replace his, which was lost in transit from New Hampshire. How the film company solves its various dilemmas and interacts with the easy-going New Englanders of Waterford is the gist of Mametís screenplay.
State and Main, which Mamet also directed, is a gentle comedy. Mametís jabs at Hollywood are more like love taps. The movie is funny, but not biting.
But what a cast. Beside Macy and Hoffman, the film stars Alec Baldwin and Sarah Jessica Parker as Bob Barrenger and Claire Wellesley, the stars of The Old Mill; David Paymer as the filmís trouble-shooting producer; Charles Durning as Waterfordís mayor; Patti Lupone as his snobbish wife; Rebecca Pidgeon as Waterfordís bookstore owner and community theater director; and Julia Stiles as a teen-age groupie out to exploit Bobís predilection for young girls.
State and Main just meanders along. And that is the filmís problem. Itís comic, but not frantic; the laughs are there, but they lack a big payoff.
Even the satire lacks spark. It's of the obvious type, mostly consisting of the ìsophisticatedî Hollywood folk not able to comprehend the rustic style of their hosts.
State and Main has its moments, but you seem to have to wait for them.
The one nice aspect of Mametís story is seeing Hoffman playing a romantic figure. The love affair that develops between the idealistic writer and practical community theater director is sweet. Hoffman and Pidgeon make a lovely couple.
But the others all seem to be playing types: Macy as the profane director who wonít let anything or anyone stop him from making his movie; Baldwin as the self-centered leading man; Parker as the airhead bimbo with artistic aspirations; Paymer as the ruthless money man. They all are caricatures.
State and Main is a rather tame outing. Itís enjoyable, but nothing that will make a lasting impression.
Bob Bloom is the film critic at the Journal and Courier in Lafayette, IN. He can be reached by e-mail at bloom@journal-courier.com or at bobbloom@iquest.net. Other reviews by Bloom can be found at www.jconline.com by clicking on golafayette. Bloom's reviews also can be found on the Web at the Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/M/reviews_by?Bob+Bloom
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