Director Richard Linklater, a five-time Oscar nominee, known for “Boyhood”, “School of Rock” and the “Before Sunrise” trilogy, has not one but two new films for the fall season that also hope to have an impact on the awards season.
The first is “Blue Moon”, starring frequent Linklater collaborator Ethan Hawke, who gives an outstanding performance as lyricist Lorenz Hart. It’s 1943, and after watching the opening night performance of “Oklahoma!” in NYC, Hart heads to Sardi’s around the corner to share his thoughts on the show… and much more… with the bartender (a refreshingly restrained Bobby Cannavale) and whoever else is willing to listen, including a piano player and author E.B. White. Hart is bitter that his longtime collaborator Richard Rodgers has found instant success with a new partner, Oscar Hammerstein II. Scenes between Hawke and Andrew Scott, who plays Rodgers, are intense, as the layers of their friendship, and its inevitable demise, are unraveled.
Margaret Qualley (the real-life daughter of Andie McDowell) is very good as Elizabeth, a college student who Hart deeply admires… but how does she feel about him? This is the only aspect of “Blue Moon” that feels predictable. Qualley delivers a third act monologue well, but because we know where we’re headed (even though Hart doesn’t), this section slows the momentum down a bit. Still, there’s plenty of insights about relationships and love. If “Blue Moon” was a play (and it often feels like one, just put on film), Hawke would be the frontrunner for a Tony Award. Instead, he’ll be vying for an Oscar, and I hope he’s on the ballot. He *becomes* Hart after just a few minutes, adjusting his height to make himself only look about 5 feet tall — the real Hart was only 4’10" — and delivering some of the most intelligent, clever and poignant dialogue of the year. “Blue Moon” is currently playing in theaters and will be available to watch at home soon.
I interviewed Linklater three years ago for the release of his animated feature about the Moon Landing, “Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood”, and he shared with me an approach to his career. He said, “What do you do as a filmmaker? You’re just trying to tell a story — and you’re trying to decide how the audience should take-in that story.” For his second new movie out right now, Linklater chose to present it in black and white, and the dialogue is almost entirely in French. “Nouvelle Vague” is about the influential Jean-Luc Godard transitioning from film critic to filmmaker, with the 20-day shoot of his first feature, “Breathless”, during the height of France’s New Wave era in 1959. Guillaume Marbeck makes his on-screen debut as Godard, and he’s fantastic, embodying Godard’s free-spirited, stream of conscious, on the fly style.
Zoey Deutch (the real-life daughter of Lea Thompson) is excellent as actress Jean Seberg. “Nouvelle Vague” is fun, and it goes at a terrific pace. Linklater excels at creating an immersive atmosphere. And like “Blue Moon”, there’s deep, detailed commentary on art, creativity and trusting your own instincts. For cinephiles and aspiring directors, this is a delightful and fulfilling experience. “Nouvelle Vague” is now available to watch on Netflix.
