Ethan Hawke is certain to get a boatload of awards for his performance as Lorenz Hart, the one time partner of Richard Rogers. Hawke is a force of nature as he tries to control himself as he paces around Sardi's waiting for Roger's first show without him, Oklahoma!, to let out.
This is a kick ass movie (that would make an amazing play) that gives Ethan Hawke a stage to show how good he is. On screen from the first moment to the last, Hawke delivers what is largely a monolog where he delivers the story of his life and obsessions (good language, good alchol and sex) only to be interupted by someone to act as a kind of Greek Chorus. It's an amazing thing to witness.
Based on letters between Hart and his protege Elizabeth Weiland, the film shows a man struggling to get back into the limelight after alcohol made the difficult lyricist even more difficult to work with. It's portrait of an anoying man too clever not to like.
As a film as a whole the film is a bit light weight. Yes it's entertaining and yes it has killer performances, but beyond the performances there isn't a great deal of meat. That's not a bad thing when Hawke is so good, but at the same time he's so good as to swamp anything outside of his blinding glow. (except for Margret Qualley as Weiland who Hawke's Hart goes silent for). This is all the performance and as that it's great. (however I reserve the right to change my mind after a second viewing)
Highly recommended.
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