FeedingDream Already a fan of Mamet, this was one of the best works (second to Spanish Prisoner) that shows his unique style of making stage play into motion picture.If you're not a fan of stage acting, this film will make you one. That's the unique talent that Mamet has in timing and dialogue that engages an audience of the screen as if you were sitting in a theatre. Few people can take one sentence of dialogue and turn it into a depth of character like he does. The humor is fast-moving and subtle, and you have to pay attention to appreciate the flowing story and intricate relationships. And that subtlety is CONSTANT.This was obviously accomplished by a superb cast and I swear that Oliver Stapleton (cinematography) was inside Mamet's head because the camera was like liquid in the story and did half the talking. You almost knew what was coming, but didn't get it until it was happening. It's a comedy that carries you along in your own head. Freaking hilarious.No need to talk about the cast. Exceptional, and they played so well together that I wish they had done more like this. It was a while ago, but I hope Mamet comes up with something in this vein again.This is a film for filmmakers because as messed up as this industry is, you still love it and all the bs that goes along with it. It's about passion for the art at all costs and OMG does this show how horrible and wonderful that can be. Pure genius and debauchery.Love-hate relationships with almost every character. Almost. One or two loves in there. But mostly love-hate. I won't say who it was for me - you have to watch to make your own call there.IF you can set aside your precepts of the cast (which is hard to do with this line-up), then you'll love this film and laugh yourself silly. Mamet rocked this one. And if you get his style of humor, you'll buy the DVD just to have it on hand. If you don't, then this film isn't for you. I think you're either a Mamet fan or not. Maybe that's the question.

moviesleuth2 There aren't many literary geniuses with wide recognition these days. Most film scripts rely on special effects and actors to make them memorable. It's rare that you'll find a movie where the "star" is the dialogue, and not a thespian or CGI explosion. But with David Mamet, that's what you get.In general, I'm not a David Mamet fan. Although his films are always well-written, and his trademark stylization of speaking dialogue in his movies is always fun to listen to (although it's restrained here), they are not my cup of tea. I didn't like "Glengarry Glen Ross," and I found "Spartan" interesting but poorly paced. I did, however, like his hysterical play, "November," and after hearing good things about "State and Main" from critics and word of mouth, I decided to check it out. It's consistently amusing, but not as funny as it wants to be."State and Main" is an ensemble comedy. It's about a desperate film crew who finally finds a place to shoot their movie, but they are all about to have a disastrous run-in with Murphy's Law. The big-star, Bob Beringer (Alec Baldwin) can't keep himself from his hobby (young girls like Carla, played by Julia Stiles). The director, Walt Price (Mamet regular William H. Macy) suddenly realizes that his newfound shooting spot doesn't have an old mill anymore (the film they're shooting is called "The Old Mill"). The ditsy female star, Claire Wellesley (Sarah Jessica Parker) is having second thoughts about taking her shirt off on camera. And the screenwriter, Joeseph Turner White (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is having to constantly rewrite his script to deal with the crises, all while falling for his newfound muse, the local bookstore owner Ana (Rebecca Pigeon, aka Mrs. David Mamet).The best thing about this movie (other than the brilliant script) is the fact that Mamet never takes the easy way out. He eschews the easy targets (movie stars with huge egos and/or no brains, greedy lawyers, etc.). To be sure, they make an appearance, but they aren't a huge source of the film's comedy. This is all but to be expected; Mamet has been on the film scene for the last two decades, and is widely recognized as one of the best script doctors. He knows how making a movie REALLY works, and attacks it with a his scythe of satire.Unfortunately, while this opens up the potential for new and funny jokes, plot twists and gags (and Mamet actually exploits it), it's just not as funny as he intended it to be. It's clear that this is supposed to be 105 minutes of madcap insanity, which it is, but it's just not a laugh a minute riot (as was the intention).The acting is great, and the actors poke fun at their reputations (like Baldwin and Parker). And we actually begin to care about Joesph and Ana. And although it's not as funny as it is meant to be, there are some great one liners.It's worth a rental, especially for Mamet fans, movie lovers, and intelligent viewers.

laura-827 I usually find movies about the film industry to be somewhat tedious and self-indulgent; "Adaptation" comes to mind as an example. "State and Main" breaks the mold as it light-heartedly pokes fun at the film industry, small town life, and a half-dozen other sacred cows. It also has a sweet side, with charmingly bumbling script-writer Joseph Turner White (Philip Seymour Hoffman) finding both romance and a second lease on innocence. It's great to see the talented Mr. Hoffman cast as a romantic lead, even if his character is simultaneously made an object of sport. Spot-on (if necessarily caricatured) performances by William H. Macy, David Paymer, Alec Baldwin, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Stiles, Clark Gregg, and Michael Higgins multiply the laughs. It looks like the cast had fun making this film; I hope they did!

Robert J. Maxwell It's not hilarious but it's consistent in its good-natured cynicism, from which most of its amusement quotient is derived. Mamet takes us to a small town in Vermont where Bill Macy is trying to set up locations for a film he is directing, (Some problems there with the old watermill, the centerpiece of the story, which doesn't exist anymore.)Alec Baldwin is a little careless about his attraction to young girls and this adds to the difficulties when he's put upon by the authorities. He has the best line though -- the last in the film -- when he shuffles off to the set and mutters, "It beats working." Philip Seymour Hoffman has a strange face, indeed a strange presence, and brings a good deal of talent to the role of a screenwriter with principle, probably the closest thing to a protagonist the movie offers us. He quits his job at one point before having an epiphany and returning to work. And he has a romance with the attractive, perceptive, flatly matter-of-fact Rebecca Pigeon, who projects an extraordinary intelligence and sexiness despite her ski boots and overgrown running shoes, which any normal viewer would love to pluck off and turn into soup. As their romance is nudged forward by events, she asks Hoffman, "How do you feel about children?" He stares back open mouthed, his mind whirling, before he replies, "I never could see the point." I just claimed his mind was whirling but he gives no evidence of it in his behavior. He simply stands there agog and hesitates for some seconds before speaking. But a viewer KNOWS his brain is clicking, even though it's moving in an unanticipated direction. That's acting talent, and pretty good writing too. Some clever lines are sprinkled over the script. Macy examines the wardrobe sketches and remarks, "Who designed these costumes? It looks like Edith Head puked and the puke designed the costumes." Well, I'm not sure that's "clever" but it's funny.It will probably leave you smiling, so go ahead and watch it if you can.