Pity the poor film director (William H. Macy). He's arrived with cast and crew in the perfectly Rockwellian town of Waterford, Vermont, only to discover that the local mill--a crucial location for his movie, since it's titled "The Old Mill"--burned down in 1960. The idealistic screenwriter (Philip Seymour Hoffman) would rather pursue a pure-hearted local (Rebecca Pidgeon) than do a last-minute rewrite; the town's aspiring politico (Clark Gregg) wants to milk the production for every dime it's worth; the oft-exposed bimbo starlet (Sarah Jessica Parker) is now balking at her contractual nude scene; and a local teenager (Julia Stiles) is only too willing to exploit the indiscretions of the film's skirt-chasing star (Alec Baldwin). And of course, the power-wielding producer (David Paymer) is panicking about everything.
Welcome to David Mamet's State and Main, the acclaimed writer-director's funniest and most accessible film to date, propelled by the rocket fuel of Mamet's show-biz experience and driven by an ensemble cast that simply couldn't be better. Naturally, the writer's dilemma is the meatiest one--will he be noble or sell out?--and Mamet arrives at a solution that's as hilarious as it is morally justified. Along the way, the rigors of filmmaking are explored with farcical abandon, such as how to provide a high-tech product placement... in a 19th-century story. Mamet's razor-sharp dialogue is gourmet popcorn here--each kernel yields a tasty surprise--and the whole scenario (intentionally modeled in the style of Preston Sturges) plays out with the breezy assurance of vintage screwball comedy. It's pure gold from start to finish, and even the closing credits offer another reason to laugh. --Jeff Shannon
(25 votes)
2.
A big-budget movie crew descends upon a quaint New England village, sowing a bumper crop of corruption, vanity and greed in David Mamet's State and Main. In the days that elapse before the cameras finally roll, money will change hands, careers will be jeopardized and love will bloom in the small-town soil.
Having been cast out of his original New Hampshire location, director Walt Price (William H. Macy) is in trouble: his film is losing money by the minute and shooting is set to begin in a matter of days. He needs a new location, one that won't cost a lot of money and can reasonably pass for the 19th Century, when the film takes place. After a quick look around, Walt decides to move the production of their film to the sleepy little town of Waterford, Vermont. It seems perfect -- Waterford not only has a firehouse and supportive citizens eager to meet and mingle with Hollywood glitterati, it even has an old mill. At least, that's what it says on a brochure.
Unfortunately, the brochure is wrong; Waterford's old mill was destroyed during a rash of suspicious fires back in 1960. Excising the old mill of his story's title is just one of the script changes now demanded of writer Joe White (Philip Seymour Hoffman), a promising young playwright making his first foray into film. Before he can get to work, however, Joe must find a replacement for his treasured manual typewriter, lost en route from New Hampshire. Fortunately, local bookstore proprietor and community theater director Ann Black (Rebecca Pidgeon) has several manual typewriters, along with some helpful editorial suggestions. An attraction, deeply felt but not overtly acknowledged, quickly develops between the sensitive, idealistic Joe and the bright, capable Ann, who is engaged to ambitious local politician Doug MacKenzie (Clark Gregg).
When the film's stars Bob Barrenger (Alec Baldwin) and Claire Wellesley (Sarah Jessica Parker) arrive, production kicks into gear and the real problems begin. Bob has a dangerous predilection for under-aged girls, which canny local teenager Carla Taylor (Julia Stiles) proves quite effective at exploiting; Claire suddenly balks at doing her agreed-upon nude scene; and Doug MacKenzie is determined to squeeze top dollar from the production.
Aggressive producer Marty Rossen (David Paymer) arrives on the scene to apply his inimitable powers of persuasion. Marty plays the "bad cop" to Walt's "good cop," taking issue with Claire and her agent, keeping an eye on Bob, tangling with Doug, and getting pages out of Joe. Marty also pays a courtesy call to the Mayor, George Bailey (Charles Durning) and his formidable wife Sherry (Patti LuPone), who is sparing no expense -- or inconvenience -- in planning an exclusive dinner honoring the town's famous guests.
After Joe rises to Claire's defense during a brutal discussion with Marty about her nude scene, the actress goes to Joe's hotel room to express her gratitude. When Ann arrives unexpectedly, Joe struggles to explain the situation to her, and is amazed that she trusts him enough to believe him. Ann lets him know on her way out that she has broken off her engagement with Doug.
Walking near the intersection of State and Main Streets, Joe witnesses Bob Barrenger flipping his car over and hitting the town's traffic light. Rushing over to help, Joe sees a dazed Carla crawling out of the car. Bob tells Carla to leave and then calmly heads back to his hotel.
Back at the hotel, Marty and Walt are already working damage control. They discuss and reject various stories, and finally agree it's best if Carla is not involved at all. They make Bob repeat their new mantra: "She wasn't in the car."
It's not long before Doug learns the truth about the accident. Already bitter at having lost Ann to someone from the movie crew, Doug sets out to nail Bob and shut down the film.
As the sole witness to the accident, Joe is wanted for questioning. Ann challenges Joe to stand up for the truth, while Walt and Marty pressure him to put aside his convictions for the sake of the film and his career. With the fate of his colleagues and his own future hanging in the balance, Joe must decide whether to face the situation with a pure heart or hope for a second chance.
(25 votes)
3.
Part Hollywood satire, part screwball comedy, State and Main explores what happens when a cell-phone-wielding movie crew invades a quaint New England town. Laced with the tart dialogue characteristic of Mamet, State and Main follows screenwriter Joe White (Hoffman), whose old-fashioned values are put to the test when he is the only witness to a heartthrob movie star's (Baldwin) indiscretions with a local teenage girl (Stiles). The movie's smooth-talking director (Macy) and aggressive producer (Paymer) pressure Joe to put aside his convictions for the sake of the film and his future writing career. Meanwhile, Joe falls for a local bookseller (Pidgeon), who challenges him to stand up for the truth.
(25 votes)
4.
When a big-budget film crew takes over a small town, they shoot first…and ask questions later. Director Walt Price (William H. Macy) has his work cut out for him with a girl-crazy leading man (Alec Baldwin), a camera-shy leading lady (Sarah Jessica Parker), an idealistic writer (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and a high-strung producer (David Paymer). When the townsfolk eagerly get in on the act, get ready for scandal, greed and romance…Take one!
(25 votes)
5.
"A sleepy Vermont town", notes writer-director David Mamet, outlining the plot of State and Main, "gets invaded by a movie company and ... everyone in the town is suborned, polluted, saddened and ruined. So it's a comedy." As indeed it is--and, despite his typically acerbic summary, one of Mamet's most light-hearted films. At times, as in the shyly blossoming romance between screenwriter Philip Seymour Hoffman (playing Mr Nice Guy for once) and bookstore-owner Rebecca Pidgeon, it turns almost sentimental. Mamet's views on Hollywood are notoriously jaundiced ("Hell with valet parking", he once called it), but State and Main never really sticks the knife in. Many of the characters--the single-minded, manipulative director, the nympho actress who won't bare her breasts for the camera, the seemingly naïve locals who prove no less devious than the incomers--are strictly from stock, and much of the film covers similar ground to Alan Alda's underrated Sweet Liberty (1985). Some of the plot feels over-contrived, too. Since they're planning to shoot a movie called The Old Mill, the filmmakers are disconcerted to find on arrival that said mill burned down 40 years ago. Like, the location scouts wouldn't have noticed? Still, Mamet's dialogue is as crisp and literate as ever and the cast turn in diverting performances--especially the ever-excellent William H Macy as the director, and Alec Baldwin, spoofing his own image, as a predatory star with a taste for underage skirt. Altogether State and Main serves up a diverting satire on the lunacies of showbiz, though lacking the last degree of bite.
On the DVD: Extras don't amount to much apart from a batch of cast-and-director interviews. Of these, Mamet and Macy (who share a dry sense of humour) offer the best value. Baldwin sounds oddly star-struck over his fellow-actors; "I'm a fan more than anything", he gushes. With Dolby 5.1 sound and widescreen (1.85:1) the picture sounds and looks handsome, though in such a dialogue-driven movie visual spectacle's hardly a key priority.--Philip Kemp
(25 votes)
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