Séquences et conséquences

In the pantheon of David Mamet's films, I'd say State and Main ranks somewhere in the middle, but it's a good middle. The rhythm and pace is more like a sitcom than a feature film, sharply edited and light on its feet and with a sort of whitebread jazz motif loitering in the background, but the cast is certainly above average, and Mamet's screenplay is very charming punctuated with some funny sub-plots and a few very good (maybe even great) one-liners.

The story concerns a film production crew, running out of money, who blows into the quaint provincial town of Waterford, Vermont on a location shoot after getting run out of New Hampshire (for reasons that are very hush-hush). The wellspring of much of the humor is in the byplay between the corruptness of the film people and the "purity" of the locals, who turn out to be as rotten as some of the Hollywood crowd. There are also some hilarious insides on the world of show-biz and film-making (i.e. the associate producer's credit, the product placement for a dot.com in a movie set in the 1800's, the cinematographer who can't get the shot he wants, Sarah Jessica Parker's character who finds religion and won't show her breasts in the film - unless the producers pay her an additional 800 grand).

Mamet is not quite in the Woody Allen class of gagwriting, but he proves to be assured and witty without being too self-consciously clever (as he is in "Heist"). Some favorite lines: "I remember my lines. I just don't remember which order they come in."; "You don't like children, do you?" "Never saw the point of 'em."; and, of course "Whatever happened to 1975?"

William H. Macy gives a good funny performance as the wheeler-dealer director (as good as his work in "Fargo" or "The Cooler"), and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Rebecca Pidgeon are wonderful as the would-be lovers. This is a not great, but a good middlebrow satire of different worlds, very pleasant and expertly written, though just not savage enough to be brutally memorable. 3 *** out of 4

State(the people from Hollywood) and Main(the people of Waterford,Vermont) - Two whole different worlds meet each other. The move was enjoyable. It wasn't really a comdey nor a romance, or wathever it must have been. I couldn't really laugh and the romance between Joe and Ann was poor. But it's worth time seeing it. You could see the chemistry between the actors. It has something, normally in such movies, movies as these never made it to the movie theatres, so there's the problem, why these movies don't get much attention, etc. Enough of my boring words, the choice is up to you : Do I want to see this movie or not ? That's the question.

Rebecca Pidgeon (Mamet's wife) has never been so winsome, nor Philip Seymour Hoffman so innocent. It is light fare, but the dialogue, thanks to Mamet's talent, nonetheless has an edge and intelligence missing from most romantic comedies.

The Hollywood crew, post-Entourage, seems almost dated, though David Paymer does a good job of seeming tough while remaining surprisingly vulnerable. Clark Gregg, on the town side, does an under-appreciated job of playing the jilted fiancé and future corrupt politician.

Contrasting this 10-year-old film with nonsense like (500) Days of Summer, you can see the difference between good light comedy and bad light comedy. Pidgeon and Hoffman at least hint at complexities of character that make their relationship an interesting prospect.

A Hollywood cast and crew cynically invade a small New England town and leave some changes behind. A well done smooth flowing film which satirizes the impressionable citizens and will give most viewers some laughs about how easily some people can be impressed by the Hollywood experience. Very good performances all around led by William Macy and a noteworthy verbal tour de force by David Paymer.

Well worth watching.

***-Three Stars

If you know Mamet's film history, you'll realize often, he writes about lowlifes and depressing (though good) subject matter such as the Untouchables, Glengarry Glen Ross and The Winslow Boy. But now, Mamet turns to light comedy and succeeds, even if as times it's a little too light.

The film is mainly supported (besides a clever script) by it's cast including William H. Macy delivering some good laughs as a director who comes off like he did in Fargo, only more like you would see a director. Phillip Seymour Hoffman makes good as a writer, Alec Baldwin brings some sly humor as a big movie star who can't get away from 14 year old girls (though Julia Stiles doesn't look 14), Sarah Jessica Parker is actually sexy here, and David Paymer is stunningly funny as a go for broke producer. At points, one could compare this movie to the brilliant Bowfinger from last year and they might be right, but Mamet also adds in stuff about small towns as well. Enjoyable to say the least. B+