State and Main

View Date: January 14th, 2001

Cast :

Writer and Director: David Mamet 

It is truly a pleasure when Hollywood revels in poking fun at itself.  Recent movies like Bowfinger and Cecil B Demented show that filmmakers, and film types indeed know how to have a fun with the images and stereotypes that have been laid upon them.  What a perfect combination it was then that brilliant writer David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross, Spanish Prisoner) amongst his many gems) has turned his keen eye of human observation and character development towards the high and mighty Tinseltown types.  While the film has a lot of fun, and some very expectedly sharp writing and dialogue, it stumbles slightly towards its conclusion, wrapping up rather quickly and leaving a refreshing, but slightly unfulfilling taste in my mouth.  Mamet seemed to be building towards a climatic and powerfully funny conclusion, but he seems to have run out of ideas on his way to making a thoroughly adept analysis of the corruption of cultures in America today.  His sharp dialogue and keen social observation about small towns and making movies keep this an enlightening and invigorating experience still.

 “We’re in Waterford Vermont, where is it? Well…THAT’s where it is”
“..then buy a bigger map”

 Waterford Vermont is a peaceful little town; it could be any small town in America really.  It is steeped in history which everyone can recite upon request, and whose biggest debates seem to be about stoplights, potholes and the latest community theater project.  Enter Walt, and his film crew, trying to shoot a film about purity called The Old Mill.  The crew takes over the town, and quickly integrates with townspeople with mixed results.  Joe (Hoffman) is the writer who meets a local bookstore owner (Pidgeon) while searching for a typewriter that seems to have been lost in transit.  Claire (Parker) is the female lead with a newfound insecurity about baring breasts which “most of America could draw from memory.” Bob is the big star, with an obsession for younger women “What does he like””14 year old girls””Well get him half of a 28 year old so we can get out of this town alive” Joe and the bookstore owner start a sweet romance, while Baldwin and an young fan (Stiles) start an otherwise elicit romance.  Meanwhile, the town’s mayor (and city council) prepares a meal and party that would embarrass royalty.  From here, the situations are set up, dealt with and handled with a very tactfully honest touch, creating funny situations, and even doing the unexpected, which is part of what makes the film such a joy.  Several times during the film, I leaned over to my friend to predict what was going to happen, and I was incorrect.  Never have I been happier to be wrong.  Mamet, whether dealing with darker elements or lighter ones, always has the innate ability to capture the true human spirit of a situation in a manner that appears so natural that the audience can relate.  It just seems that he started so many wonderful things then couldn’t quite get them all to come together in a totally cohesive way.  The end result is satisfying, but it could have been spectacular.  Mamet also obviously understands the perils and ways of the movie machine, and isn’t afraid to pay tribute and mockery to them at the same time.  Those involved will not be offended, since they are so dead on, and so brilliantly written.  This movie has some truly magical moments that have to be seen and heard to be appreciated. 

Stars must be jumping through hoops to work on Mamet’s material.  Anyone who can make me believe Steve Martin can be a bad guy (highly underrated and under seen Spanish Prisoner) definitely gets my highest compliments.  He writes such powerful and insightful phrases, and captures the cheesy Hollywood spirit and tone, that the cast must have been itching to start filming.  He gets the best out of what he’s given for the most part, save Stiles who really isn’t given much to do.  Baldwin is wonderful when he plays either sleaze balls (Malice, Glengarry Glen Ross) or self-mockery of himself like he does here.  Also standing out are Macy and Hoffman who are easily the most versatile and under appreciated actors in Hollywood.  They both dig into these roles with a joyous energetic glee.  Macy plays faux-concern with the best of them, while remaining so dedicated and focused to his project that he lets little distract him. Hoffman

“It's not a lie, it's a gift for fiction”

Ultimately, State and Main is yet another successful visual representation of holding a magnifying glass up to aspects of our society and being able to laugh at and relate to the results.  David Mamet is one of the great social observers of this century and uses his talent for words and vision to relay his visions to us.  This time around, he fills his story with strong realistic dialogue, and powerful commentary about the corruption and effect that outside influences can have on an untainted entity. Witness the progression of the conversation and actions of two denizens of Stiles father’s diner.  They start out discussing potholes and stoplights, then progress to reading Variety and finally to debating their acting abilities.  A strong conclusion to bring it together, akin to the wedding scene in O Brother would have cemented this one as a classic, as it is, the film stands as one of the better things out there right now by poking fun at the very people who make the junk that populates all the theaters around this film.  Find State and Main and stay there, it’s worth it.  ($$$ out of $$$$)

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