REVIEW: BLUE MOON

4/5

Born To Be Blue

100 Mins. Starring: Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Jonah Lees, Patrick Kennedy, Bobby Cannavale & Andrew Scott. Screenplay: Robert Kaplow. Director: Richard Linklater. In: Theatres.

Rodgers and Hart's 'Blue Moon', a standard of the great American songbook, sung by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Billie Holiday and others, contains words that will leave an indelible impression on your heart. With lines like, "You knew just what I was there for/You heard me sayin' a prayer for/Someone I really could care for." And that's the yearning that burns the back of the lump in your throat, like the bourbon that should have stayed in the bottle, for the barstool counsel of this beautiful and bracing biopic of the same song name. All as the ever-versatile, like 'Hit Man', Richard Linklater ('Dazed and Confused', 'School Of Rock', 'A Scanner Darkly'), off a screenplay from 'Me and Orson Welles' novelist Robert Kaplow, reunites with his 'Boyhood' and 'Before' trilogy frequent collaborator and renaissance man Ethan Hawke ('Dead Poets Society', 'Training Day', 'Moonlight'). Tackling the life of lyricist Lorenz Hart. Straight from the sleeved heart perspective of Hart's own reflections on the night his former colleague Richard Rodgers' and his new partner, Oscar Hammerstein II, became the toast of the town, on Broadway, following the success of their musical 'Oklahoma!' with exclamation.

Ethan Hawke knows when he's beat. At The SAG...excuse me, The Actor Awards last week, you should have seen presenter Viola Davis and then Michael B. Jordan's reaction to him winning the Best Actor award for his dual defining performance in the perfect horror blockbuster 'Sinners'. As Jordan approached the stage humbly, Hawke, in a waistcoat for the ages, just had to stop him after his own loving reaction, as the two men clapped hands and embraced in respect. Ethan nudging him towards his podium like a proud parent so happy to see his contemporary take what is rightfully his. And that's kind of how the Academy Awards should play out with Hawke, and Kaplow, nominated. With all due respect to Leonardo DiCaprio ('One Battle After Another'), Wagner Moura ('The Secret Agent') and Timothée Chalamet ('Marty Supreme'), who may have just derailed his own campaign with those ballet and opera comments, but deserved it more for playing Dylan as 'A Complete Unknown'. The closest to Michael, is Hawke, however, in a perfect performance that is more than just a physical transformation, for an actor who really has been bringing it to his cinematic craft. Especially over the last decade.

From 'Born To Be Blue' to 'Blue Moon', Chet Baker to Lorenz Hart, Hawke now has a knack for playing troubled troubadours in brutal biopics that defy the Hollywood paint by numbers conventions. His conviction has also compelled us to some of his finest work like 'Taxi Driver' writer Paul Schrader's 'First Reformed'. He remade 'The Magnificent Seven', reuniting with Denzel Washington and 'Michael' director Antoine Fuqua. Directed a movie about 'Blaze' Foley. Hunted Billy 'The Kid' as Pat Garrett. Played an electric 'Tesla'. And even left the world behind with Netflix, Julia Roberts and others. But 2025, may have been his, and his 'Stranger Things' starring daughter, Maya's, best year yet. With the one for me, one for you of this and 'The Black Phone 2' Halloween sequel, as a new iconic villain. Not to mention 'The Lowdown' the Emmy's should have got for his "truthstorian." But here, with a barman to client counsel with the great Bobby Cannavale on fine form, he regales us with stories much like the compelling beginning of 'Predestination' when he had the bar towel. Breaking our heart and then touching our funny bone at a turn in equal measure.

Based on the letters between Elizabeth Weiland and Hart's heart, 'Blue Moon' is a lonely night spotlight portrait of a man's charismatic solidarity. You can see it from the lines that shake the beginning of this true story in quotes. Literally making it a Sony Pictures Classic. This comedy and tragedy garnering a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture-Musical or Comedy. The Elizabethan muse in question, played with punch by rising star of our moment Margaret Qualley ('Once Upon A Time In...Hollywood', 'Drive-Away Dolls', 'The Substance' and a couple of Yorgos Lanthimos pictures) in a blonde look set to drop bombshells like her vivid vulnerability. There are big, Hammerstein and Sondheim, names all over the show, but it's Jonah Lees' Morty Rifkin who deserves his introduction for playing piano throughout. Not to mention Patrick Kennedy's 'Stuart Little' writer E.B. White, mostly keeping himself to himself and playing the background. Yet the 75th Berlin International Film Festival Silver Bear goes to a sublime Andrew Scott ('Fleabag', 'Ripley', 'All Of Us Strangers') fresh off waking up the dead man, with 'Knives Out'. Isn't that life imitating its art? Yet Hawke, and Hart, will still have their time to shine under the bluest of moons. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Maestro', 'A Complete Unknown', 'Born To Be Blue'.