With brilliant performances and heartfelt writing, Blue Moon shines for Ethan Hawke, in another show stopping collaboration with Richard Linklater.

Lorenz Hart is a man who does not want to be forgotten. Yet, the composer, played by Ethan Hawke in Richard Linklater’s new film, Blue Moon, meets death alone in an alleyway. We find him a few months before his demise on one late night in the Broadway institution Sardi’s. Hart is no stranger to the spot, setting up a comfortable dynamic with the bartender, Eddie, (Bobby Cannavale), but he’s not as welcome anymore. Cannavale’s character Eddie entertains Hart’s bizarrely extravagant tales, because that’s what he’s paid to do, but he also can’t help but feel bad for the guy. Neither can Elizabeth, played by an equally-brilliant Margaret Qualley. Her character was developed from the real Hart’s letters to a young college student. She arrives around halfway through the film after Hart sings her praises, and hopes to impress her with a party he’s throwing later that evening. 

Hart relies on over-the-top statements throughout, and, contrasted with Andrew Scott as Richard Rodgers, he is perceived as the uncool, strange guy at the afterparty. Although the two men once worked together, Rodgers is moving on — becoming part of the iconic duo people still attach his name to today. Oklahoma! has the grand premiere, and Hart slowly becomes aware he’s been replaced. Most notably, Linklater and Hawke spent roughly a decade planning this movie — with the former telling the actor to wait until the right moment. This lengthy development shows in Hawke’s performance, making it clear he’s spent time studying all aspects of Hart, beyond just the physical transformation. With any other actor-director duo, the on-screen portrayal might have not captured the emotional layers of the complicated man.

Blue Moon is arguably at its strongest during a private conversation between Hart and Elizabeth, as she details her painful encounters with other men and gently breaks the news that the two are just friends. Hawke’s display of heartbreak is subtle to watch, but it’s there. It’s also worth commending the production design, as the crew recreated the still-running Sardi’s in New York while they filmed in Dublin. Whether it’s the downstairs wooden bar or the famous portraits that line the walls, it feels like you’re transported back to the moment in time that Hart inhabited. 

Still, the world moves on without you, whether you like it or not.

Grade: A

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: Best Lead Actor (Ethan Hawke)
Should be Considered: Best Supporting Actor (Andrew Scott), Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay

Where to Watch: PVOD, In Select Theaters