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State And Main
2000
In the screwball comedy STATE AND MAIN, writer-director David Mamet reveals that the only thing more corrupt than Hollywood moviemaking is a small American town that is willing to stoop to any level to be a part of it. Marshalling an all-star ensemble, Mamet chronicles a movie production's arrival in sleepy Waterford, Vermont. .. Read more
| Starring | Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker |
|---|---|
| Director | David Mamet |
| Genres | Comedy |
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State And Main
In the screwball comedy STATE AND MAIN, writer-director David Mamet reveals that the only thing more corrupt than Hollywood moviemaking is a small American town that is willing to stoop to any level to be a part of it. Marshalling an all-star ensemble, Mamet chronicles a movie production's arrival in sleepy Waterford, Vermont. Walt Price (William H. Macy), the smooth-talking, Machiavellian chief of the effort, has four days before shooting begins--he has to scout locations (the old mill he expected to use as a set burned down forty years ago), keep his egotistical stars out of trouble, and charm the locals. The writer, Joe White (Philip Seymour Hoffman), wrestles with endless script changes and finds himself getting involved with a charming Waterford bookshop owner (Rebecca Pidgeon). The townspeople only condemn the slick tinseltown interlopers when they're not currying their favor, hoping for a shot at the big time. Mamet lets each successive crisis among these folks build to hilarious chaos; healthy doses of one-liners and clever plotting are balanced with a character-driven comic tale. Mamet's dialogue, known for its rapid-fire, repetitious wit, is perfectly matched to both Macy's fast-talking damage control and Pidgeon's homespun wisdom--the result is light-hearted comedy that feels legitimately profound.
| Starring | Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Charles Durning, Clark Gregg, Patti Lupone, Julia Stiles |
|---|---|
| Director | David Mamet |
| Studio | LIONS GATE HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 45 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Hearing-impaired | English |
| Subtitles | DVD: English |
| Released | DVD: 20 Aug 2001 Production year: 2000 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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Writer/director David Mamet shows his lighter side with this superb comedy about the havoc that results when a Hollywood film crew descends on a small New England town. There's the movie's star (played perfectly by Alec Baldwin) who has a preference for underage girls; the writer (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who is watching his beautiful words being twisted to suit the budget and the producer; and the actress (Sarah Jessica Parker) known for taking her top off, who is refusing to do any more nude scenes. Meanwhile, the harassed director (William H Macy) is trying to hold it all together. In the midst of all this chaos and comedy, there is also a sweet love story between Hoffman and town resident Rebecca Pidgeon (Mamet's real-life wife). Not especially original material, but a surprisingly warm romantic interlude from a director better known for films with a harder edge such as House of Games and The Spanish Prisoner.
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A 19th century romance about integrity, courage and fire fighting, 'The Old Mill' may not be a sure thing at the box... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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6 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Mamet with a spoonful of sugar
So it's official. David Mamet can do humour. This is good news for those of us who like the idea of Mamet -- his lyrical writing, his insight into the dark side of everyday life -- but who don't appreciate the burden of watching all that heavyweight acting and high-tension drama.
This film is the story of a Hollywood film company moving into a small town in Vermont, and plays on the idea of the city sophisticates vs the local simpletons. Mamet is too good to leave it at that, and by the end we see avarice and naiveté on all sides.
“State and Main”, though Mamet light, is still more about words than action, and so the character of the screenwriter plays a key role, and is beautifully acted by Philip Seymour Hoffman. -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Pleasantly diverting
This has a great cast telling a slight story of a film crew moving into a small picture perfect American town for a film all about second chances. Hoffman's scriptwriter finds love in the central plot thread while Baldwin beds underage Stiles and the shoot threatens to close down. That's about it. Far less happens than would be expected with such a top cast and writer/director, so it can't help but seem slightly disappointing. The final comment of 'beats working for a living' feels like the cast and crew patting themselves on the back for getting away with being paid for doing so little.
The main problem is that there simply aren't enough laughs to really call it a comedy. It's all very nice and sweetly witty, and smoothly enjoyable to watch, but unfortunately not sharp enough to be anything more. -
News and features
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The New Hoffman (PS We Love You)
- 09 Jan 2008
It's a quirk of the movie business - and of the industry's insistence that films of any substance can only be released in the winter Oscar period - that actors increasingly seem to come up with not one but a couple of significant performances within the space of weeks. This year, Cate Blanchett has a shot at Academy Award nominations for Best Actress as Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Supporting Actress for her Bob Dylan in I'm Not There. Tommy Lee Jones also has a double deal, with his grave... Read more
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State And Main
In the screwball comedy STATE AND MAIN, writer-director David Mamet reveals that the only thing more corrupt than Hollywood moviemaking is a small American town that is willing to stoop to any level to be a part of it. Marshalling an all-star ensemble, Mamet chronicles a movie production's arrival ...
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