State and Main

2/4

Starring: William H. Macy, David Paymer, Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rebecca Pidgeon, Clark Gregg, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Stiles, Charles Durning, Patti LuPone

Rated R for Language and Brief Sexual Images

Aside from Quentin Tarantino, there isn't a screenwriter alive whose dialogue is as instantly recognizable as David Mamet (I'm not counting William Shakespeare).  Not only with the words, but how these words are presented.  His actors often speak rhythmically (Mamet uses a metronome to get his actors to perfect it).  While it's not as obvious here as it was with his 2004 thriller, "Spartan," the actors' speech does sound a little rhythmic.  Unfortunately, that little quirk is really the only thing that the film has going for it.

"State and Main" details the misadventures of a film production team trying to direct a movie in the small town of Waterford, Vermont.  The film is called "The Old Mill," only when Walt Price (Macy, a Mamet regular), the director, gets there he finds that the town's old mill burned down in 1960.  The lead actor, megastar Bob Barrenger (Baldwin), can't keep himself away from a 14 year old delivery girl named Carla (Stiles).   His co-star, the uber-ditzy Claire Wellesley (Parker), has suddenly found religion and now refuses to take her top off.  The meek writer, Joseph Turner White (Hoffman) is struggling to keep up with the rewrites demanded by Walt (fortunately, he has help from Ann (Pidgeon, Mamet's wife), the lovely bookstore owner).  To make matters worse, the town's wannabe politician, Doug Mackenzie (Gregg) is trying to hold up production any way he can since Ann left him for Joseph.

Talent-wise, there isn't a weak link to be found.  All the actors have down fabulous work in the past, and they certainly give it their all.  The standout is David Paymer, who plays the Type-A producer Marty Rossen.  He has all the best lines.  Alec Baldwin is surprisingly flat.  He's playing Alec Baldwin.  Charles Durning and Patti LuPone, who play the town's mayor and his wife, are almost entirely superfluous.

The film has a ring of authenticity.  I have no doubt that at least some of these crises have happened to Mamet on a film set (if not him, then someone else for sure).  And yet, he doesn't spin them into comic gold.  Some bits are amusing ("How do I make a movie called 'The Old Mill' without an old mill?").  Others are closer to non-sequiturs than true wit.

Ultimately, "State and Main" doesn't work because it's building for the entire movie.  The film never achieves take-off speed.  What could have been a great screwball comedy is actually a lifeless sitcom.

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