Rating: 
Summary: interesting
Review: This was an interesting movie. I saw it after reading a part in the New Psycho-Cybernetics mentioned it. It seemed to be playing with the idea of truth. One scene had a lawyer guy asking another guy to rehearse a lie out loud just to make sure he could say it. The dialogue didn't feel real to me, but like they were forced to say things in a certain way. There was one part where Alec Baldwin's character is signing a baseball and says something like, 'Baseball... that's America's favorite past time'. It's like some people are walking around stating obvious things and others are lying. If you held up a piece of paper and said, "This is a piece of paper," you would fit into this movie nicely. Near the end, the main character was asking "What is truth?" It reminded me of Pontious Pilate asking Christ the same thing. There was one scene where a person is wearing a jacket that says "Assembly of Death" Maybe that was to symbolize the lying nature of the film crew people. I dunno. The ending where he gets a second chance reminded me a little of Abraham bringing his son to the altar to sacrifice him, but is stopped by God at the last second. And then there's the newspaper that says on it not to bear false witness. All in all, this movie was strange and I'm not sure what it was trying to say.
Rating: 
Summary: Smart, Witty Movie.. Just what I needed 4 A Saturday Morning
Review: I recently watched Sarah Jessica Parker on "Inside the Actors Studio" and the host (James Lipton)was going through all of her movies but just before he spoke of "State and Main" he paused..... looked at the audience.... took a deep breath and said "Now tell us about (long pause again) State and Main" their was a crescendo of clapping from the audience/students. So I decided to rent this movie to see what the whole "awe" was about. The Amazon description pretty much tells you what "State and Main" is about so I won't repeat it. The movie was quick, the dialogue between the characters witty and smart. The acting was definitely some of the best that I have seen in a long time. Alec Baldwin is so endearing as the "big-Hollywood" actor with a thing for young women (I'm talking teens), William H. Macy perfect as the director trying to keep the actors happy and the crew focused <--- which was very funny in itself to watch :) Philip Seymour Hoffman always plays such interesting characters he does not disappoint in this one either, he is somewhat a idealistic writer who falls for the local bookstore owner (played by Rebecca Pidgeon) the interaction between these two was again smart, quick, witty lines... David Paymer was (in my personal opinion) the one that stole the movie he was a Hard A$$ producer he didn't take nothing from nobody str8 in your face and what a wonderful change to see this actor play such a part he is usually so secondary that I was pleasantly surprised. I must make honorable mention to Julia Stiles, Sarah Jessica Parker and Charles Durney whom all did a great job. This was just a very good movie all together the town folks, the town (perfect setting), the film crew (in the movie) great secondary characters. I wouldn't say that I had a lot of LOL moments but it did keep me engaged. I liked "Get Shorty" and "The Birdcage" I would put this movie in those categories for Smart Comedy with a very well written script and look at Hollywood coming into a small town and taking over. Respectfully Reviewed
Rating: 
Summary: Great movie
Review: This movie provides comical insight into the life of film making. If you found pleasure in this witty film check out "living in Oblivion". Both are very enjoyable films.
Rating:
Summary: That's Entertainment.
Review: My sister saw this film and hated it, probably because she has nothing to do with the entertainment industry and just did not "get it". "State and Main" brings you into behind the scenes Hollywood, and shows the viewer pre-production aspects of a film in the works. Very fascinating. I enjoyed the brilliant acting, the enchanting setting and the clever script, making this an all around good film. Alot of the material covered in this film borders on inside jokes of show business, so if you've never been on a set before, you just can't appreciate the humour. If your someone that has a love affair for the entertainment industry, this film is for you.
Rating:
Summary: Stumbles around a bit, and then...
Review: ...finally turns out to be just a piece of fluff after all. David Mamet makes a business of (really) supertalky
head games. He somehow gets his movies made
despite the fact that Hollywood probably can't stand
his scripts, and he's been lucky to stay indy-in-spirit long
enough to gather a following to his hardnosed brand
of gab. Here again, the same only different. Instead of his usual deadpan rapid fire talk-feature,
Mamet gives the facade of an actual Hollywood film. Only
of course it isn't. It's the anti-Hollywood film that is a movie
inside a movie, and it's all so dripping with irony that
ya wanna drown yerself. Yeah, well, it turns out that his great ensemble cast is
largely lost amid a lackluster script and a hackneyed
concept to begin with. Too bad.
Rating:
Summary: Fresh and clever comedy
Review: Launching right into the action and comedy wit, State and Main begins just as a major motion picture crew takes over a small town. And it doesn't miss a beat. Flagging its excellent ensemble cast, the film is filled with wonderful performances. Standing out from the crowd is Philip Seymor Hoffman's character, a screenplay writer who falls in love with a local; and the demanding director played by the wonderful William H. Macy. But it's the film's clever humor that wins out in the end. Never becoming too "in your face" with its jokes, State and Main uses a certain kind of nonchalance to present humor. While the characters might realize their situation is absurd or humorous one moment, they in effect shrug their shoulders and continue their frantic pace of making a movie and going on with life. And it is quite amusing to watch as some of the local customs and sayings of this small town begin to filter through the film crew. In short, State and Main is just a small, clever film. It's not an amazing, life changing-film viewing experience, and it's not supposed to be. It's just a very enjoyable look into the absurdity of Hollywood.
Rating: 
Summary: Can you say "Over-rated"?
Review: Lots of snappy dialog. Lots of recognizable actors. Lots of... blah blah blah. I wanted to like it, but just like the Hollywood it parodies, it's pretentious. It has its humourous moments but ultimately... I just don't get the hype. Maybe the actors read Mamet's scripts and get all excited about doing his films because the staccato dialog seems so good to them on paper. To me, watching his films is like watching a stage play where the actors have to exaggerate to better get the meaning accross to the audience. I see a film to watch the story like a fly on the wall. Like a real event with an invisible watcher. Oh well, maybe it's just me.
Rating:
Summary: I couldn't stop laughing
Review: There are some many good things about this movie that it's hard to pick some out. Phillip Seymour Hoffman is brilliant as playwright/screenwriter Joseph Turner White. You can not say enough about his performance "Have you seen my typewriter?" And when he is about to sit on the porch with his woman, the conversation that takes place is classic. And then there is Alec Baldwin the pedophile, "So that happened." We can't forget William H Macy's character who gives a giant loaf of bread as a gift. I can't praise this movie enough, it is one of all time favorite movies. "Go you Huskies!"
Rating: 
Summary: the absolute worst
Review: This movie makes me physically ill when I watch it...one of mamet's actors once said that Mamet's dialogue is a style of its own but when you're acting it out well it doesn't seem like a style it seems real...well the dialogue sure as hell seems like a style in state and main, and a frustrating style at that...this movie feels like a bunch of people in the real world speaking a language that is annoying and doesn't exist, or maybe i just can't understand it....regardless, after this and 'heist' i think it is safe to say that ole Dave should stick to writing play which he is brillaint at (i.e. American Buffalo, Glengarry Glen Ross and Speed the Plow.)....phillip seymour hoffman is the only saving grace in the film but he's pretty much brilliant in whatever he does.....don't waste your time with this one folks....it was filmed in my home town and i didn't even like it!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Love it
Review: This seems to be an acquired taste for some people, but I think it's hillarious. Very subtle in some ways, but if you like Mamet's writing, you just can't beat this.
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