Blue Moon, Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater’s ninth collaboration, unveils Hawke’s career-best performance, with a lead character so insufferable and heartbreaking that you can’t help but pity him throughout the one-room narrative.
★★★★☆
Blue Moon is the second film of the year by director Richard Linklater, the other being the French New Wave origin story Nouvelle Vague. Both films recall the early stages of a creative’s career when they were on the verge of greatness and offer a nostalgic view of the past.
What sets Blue Moon apart, though, is that you observe the night of the success of iconic composer Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) from the perspective of his former creative partner, the small, balding alcoholic Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke). It’s a tragic tale that is propelled forward by a razor-sharp script and an unbelievable portrayal from Hawke.
Hart slips away from the opening night of Rodgers’ new hit ‘Oklahoma!’, heading to the bar opposite to chat with the bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale) and the other patrons. He waxes philosophically about his career, how much he hates ‘Oklahoma!’, and a girl he has met called Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), who will be coming to the bar later. When the after-party of the opening night celebrations arrives, Lorenz confronts Richard about future projects, and old wounds resurface.
One of the challenges you don’t often consider when writing and casting a biopic is the height of the subject. Hawke is 5ft 10in, while Hart was exactly 5ft. This presented a challenge for both Linklater and Hawke, as well as production designer Susie Cullen, to make it appear as if Hawke is genuinely that small. The three of them excelled in this regard, creating a seamless and convincing illusion that Hart is much smaller than those around him, and helping Hawke disappear into a role that is very different from anything he has previously undertaken. This is also aided by his comb-over hairstyle they give him, which is hilarious and distracting at the same time.
Hawke is usually the coolest guy in the room in every role he plays. He brings a swagger and gravitas to his characters that you can tell spill over from his real-life personality. So, for him to deliver a performance where he seems like one of those guys at another table who won’t stop talking to you, a guy you’re desperate to get away from because his loneliness is almost revolting in the way it is ebbing out of him — it is a remarkable feat of acting and truly one of the greatest performances of his career.
The script is excellent; it depicts Hart as a man who loves the sound of his own voice, with line upon line of opinions, quotes, and stories that go on forever. It is undoubtedly challenging to write dialogue for someone who is like this while also capturing the spirit of an iconic lyricist, yet screenwriter Robert Kaplow does this wonderfully. The film takes place almost entirely in one room over the course of one evening, yet it keeps you captivated by Hart’s words and his one-sided relationships with Elizabeth and Richard. The ending is heartbreaking as the film skilfully explores envy, betrayal, and the struggles of a man like Hart to find love and happiness that doesn’t come at the bottom of a bottle of bourbon.
The Verdict
Hawke delivers one of the finest performances of his career, aided by Linklater’s expert direction. The characters leap off the screen, making you simultaneously want to hang out with Hart and avoid him at all costs.
Blue Moon released in UK cinemas on November 28.
Words by Jordon Searle
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