Director Richard Linklater and actor Ethan Hawke have had an admirable, decades-spanning working relationship, collaborating on much-loved projects including The Before Trilogy and Boyhood to name just a few. Blue Moon sees the pair reunite once more, in a chamber piece set over the space of just one night. On the evening of March 31st 1943, legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart confronts his shattered self-confidence in Saudi’s Bar as his former collaborator, Richard Rodgers, celebrates the opening night of his ground-breaking hit musical “Oklahoma!”. We’ve all heard of Rodgers and Hammerstein, but before that, it was Rodgers and Hart, and Blue Moon explores the breakdown in relationship that caused Rodgers to change collaborators. With a knock-out performance from Ethan Hawke, expert use of location and a witty script that keeps audiences engaged from start to finish, Blue Moon is a fantastic watch.
Richard Linklater is already a much loved, successful director, but somehow, Blue Moon manages to prove his range even further. From filming one story over years with Boyhood (2014), to perfecting the hangout movie with Dazed & Confused (1993) and even acing a Netflix original animation in Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (2022), Linklater can now add a taut, hilarious chamber piece to his incredible roster. Excellent filmmaking is on display throughout Blue Moon, whether it be the clever camerawork or the use of location. Blue Moon feels just like a stage play, which is quite meta given that it’s set on opening night of theatre musical ‘Oklahoma!’. It uses the entire bar and all its users, from the quiet punters in the corner to the barman himself to set the scene and tell the story, ensuring not one character or area is left out. Even the pianist in the corner gets his time to shine. Blue Moon successfully nails the fun that can come with being in a bar, chatting to interesting strangers over a few too many drinks and seeing who else walks through the door to join in. A true chamber piece, we never leave the confines of this bar, but due to a snappy run-time of just 100 minutes and every possible area being utilised, from the coat closet to even the mens toilets, there’s never a dull moment.
Of course, enjoyment of a single location film is heavily reliant on an intriguing script, which Blue Moon effortlessly boasts. From the get-go, the dialogue moves at a very fast pace, and so much conversation is packed into those 100 minutes that it’s impossible not to be hooked on every word. Gripping at all times, whether we’re watching Hawke’s Hart pull apart the exclamation point at the end of ‘Oklahoma!’, or Qualley’s Elizabeth reciting an awkward sexual encounter with her long-term crush, we never know where things are headed from one conversation to the next, and in true ‘late night at a bar’ fashion, it’s a riot. The dialogue has a wicked, incredible sense of humor that is largely down to Hart and his musings on the world, with laugh-out-loud one-liners aplenty. However, it also has a few grittier themes at play, exploring the alcohol addiction and well-hidden depression of Lorenz Hart. Even though we’re following a small portion of Hart’s life, we get the full picture of why his collaborators struggle to keep working with him, and the balance of sadness and admiration he feels towards Rodgers succeeding without him. So much emotion is packed into the short run-time and small location, balancing the dark with the funny expertly.
The final key to a great single location flick is the cast, and luckily, Blue Moon delivers tenfold on that front, too. Ethan Hawke is a talented actor with tens of films under his belt, yet somehow, Blue Moon may just be his best work yet. Innately nailing the comedic timing needed to make Hart larger than life and hilarious, whilst also showing the sadness behind his eyes simultaneously, he delivers enough energy singlehandedly to keep the run-time smoothly ticking. It’s always the most confident, bubbly individuals that struggle the most behind the scenes, and Hawke becomes the embodiment of that sentiment during Blue Moon. His turn ensures we are aware of Hart’s genius, but also of his troubled personal life that gets in the way of his creativity and collaboration. Andrew Scott (All Of Us Strangers) also gives a fantastic turn as Richard Rodgers, balancing being proud of his success with ‘Oklahoma!’ Alongside feeling bad for Hart due to his addiction and being left behind. The pair have some really intriguing conversations and work superbly well together. Bobby Cannavale (I, Tonya) is the perfect barman, keeping conversations going and building rapport with his patrons whilst trying to deter Hart from tipping back another drink. Margaret Qualley (The Substance) and Jonah Lees (Superman) also give notable performances, yet it’s Hawke’s movie through and through.
On paper, Blue Moon may seem like a simplistic little flick, but on the big screen, it comes to life with energy, flair, heart and humor. Ethan Hawke takes things to the next level with his incredible performance, whilst the well-written script ensures each conversation is funny, engaging and steers the plot forward. Emotional and captivating, hilarious and heartfelt, Blue Moon is another success for Linklater, and perhaps an even greater one for Hawke.
