Rating: 
Summary: Definately Underated
Review: Very reminiscent of America's Sweethearts, this comedy of Hollywood meets Smalltown, USA was really cute. Julia Stiles and Sarah Jessica Parker are fantastic as Julia tries to work her way to Hollywood by seducing the movie's leading man (Alec Baldwin) and Sarah tries to maintain her starlett aura by seducing everyone. The main story line, involving Phillip Hoffman's (the screenwriter) struggle to constantly re-write his story to fit the film and, in tandem, fall in love with a small town woman, is a bit long in the tooth. One has to credit Hoffman though, becuase he plays out the part beautifully while keeping it light.
Rating: 
Summary: A painful letdown
Review: If Mamet doesn't pull out of his deathspiral soon, you'll soon be able to officially file him amongst Paul Auster, Eric Clapton, and a score of other dinosaurs who busted out of the gate with a seemingly endless reservoir of talent and then proceeded to give everyone a lesson on appearance versus reality. The story is certainly not the most exciting, but the acting is mostly at what's fault here. Or, let's be honest, it's the acting AND the directing. For someone who's MARRIED to the guy, Rebecca Pidgeon seems to not have the faintest clue of how to read a line written by her husband. To be fair, though, she's not the only one completely botching things up. Lines and entire plots just go clunk, clunk, clunk. Simply don't waste your time with this one, and revisit Mamet's first 4 or 5 movies, all winners by any standard.
Rating:
Summary: David Mamet does it again
Review: STATE AND MAIN is a clever pastiche on Hollywood and celebrity which is handled wonderfully by a superb cast and a cracking script by mastermind David Mamet.The cast and crew of a big-budget film descend on a small New England town to take advantage of some of the province's picturesque places. The brash director (William H. Macy) certainly has his work cut out for him as he juggles the production with his cast and crew's various emotional hang-ups. There's the heart-throb star (Alec Baldwin) who has a penchant for young girls, the gushing starlet (Sarah Jessica Parker) who is so eager to please but then refuses to do her contracted nude scene; and the sensitive, first-time screenwriter (Philip Seymour Hoffman). But the real standout role is that of the wonderful Rebecca Pidgeon, who plays the local bookstore owner. She gives a glowingly understated performance. Also featuring Charles Durning, Patti LuPone, Julia Stiles and Clark Gregg, STATE AND MAIN is a fantastic movie that is a real charmer.
Rating: 
Summary: State and Main, Shoot first and ask questions later.
Review: It keeps you wanting for more, never a dry area that could've been improved upon. State and Main is about a big-time movie company filming in a small town. Each group of actors does a teriffic job portraying their parts, and the conflicts between the two groups are presented so well, it couldn't have been done better. This has to be one of the best movies about making a movie. The cast and crew had to move out of another city, becuase of problems that aroused, which they never do explain. Thats one of the great things about this movie. You know something happened, and it's a major part of the movie, but they never tell you what or why. If you only get this movie for one reason, get it because it is a hilarious comedy with an all-star cast. If you get it for another reason, get it because there probably will never be another film like this.
Rating:
Summary: A Very Clever, Refreshing and Surprising Satirical Comedy!
Review: I watched David's Mamet's "State and Main" for the first time the other day and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. Casting Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the leading man in this story was a stroke of brilliance. Hoffman brings that refreshing regular guy attitude to his role. Rebecca Pidgeon, David Paymer, William H.Macy, Alec Baldwin, Charles Durning, Sarah Jessica Parker, Julia Stiles and Jonathon Katz join Hoffman in the ensemble cast. Mamet's script and direction make this Hollywood satire a very enjoyable two hours. For anybody who has not seen this movie, it is highly recommended. Pidgeon, also Mamet's wife, is the shining light as the likable book store owner.
Rating:
Summary: Amateur night all the way around!
Review: I guess this is supposed to be a satire on Hollywood making a film in a small town, but it's more of a self-satire on Mamet's own very tired & overdone one-note schtick. This movie is lazily written & sloppily uneven, it goes all over the place from moment to moment, scene to scene. The acting (what there is of it, because as in most Mamet productions, there's a lot of postured readings instead of acting) is like something from a school play rehearsal. Poor Alec Baldwin is supposed to be a star but looks like a fat old villain out of a Chaplin movie. If this movie is supposed to be a put-down of the Hollywood system, it fails miserably. It makes one yearn for blockbuster special-effects. Should be rated NO STARS.
Rating:
Summary: The State of Lame
Review: Wow. I normally only write positive reviews, but this stinker was so appallingly bad that I feel compelled to do other movie-goers the service of telling the truth about this film. It is very, very bad. It is so predictable, boring and tiresome that I actually had to pick up the Sunday paper to amuse myself during the final moments, since I could already tell how it would turn out. It does not help the film to have one of the most wooden actresses on earth, Rebecca Pidgeon, in it, because apparently she is married to David Mamet? This is the only possible explanation for why such a stiff person (it's hard to say actress) is put on screen to display one lack of expression while real actors like Hoffman attempt to carry the film. I was gape-mouthed as I watched it. That's how bad it is. And I'm from Chicago, so I am pre-disposed to like David Mamet's work, but this was like a cake with no sugar or flour in it -- wood chips instead of flavor. Wow. The Larry Sanders Show had more humor and insight in ten minutes than this movie does for its entire length.As an 'inside' look at movie-making, it's funny for about ten minutes. The actors try, but what can they do with such pointless humor and a lead actress who is about an interesting as watching paint dry? Even Julia Stiles and Sarah Jessica Parker have a hard time being interesting in this, and that's really saying something. It's a poor man's Woody Allen -- that's the only compliment I can give it. I have a hard time believing this is the same guy who wrote "Glengarry Glen Ross". What happened?
Rating:
Summary: Bad Rebecca, good film
Review: Mamet's wife must go. She's the lone sour note in what is otherwise a quality film. Of course, it is a farce - an overblown picture of how Hollywood works on location, with certain aspects blown out of proportion for comedic effect. That's why it's called "fiction."
Rating:
Summary: STATE AND MAIN
Review: A GOOD LIGHT COMEDY SPOOFING MOVIE MAKING IN A SMALL TOWN. MANY COMICAL SCENES, ENTERTAINING, NOT A CLASSIC BUT DEFINITELY WORTH SEEING.
Rating:
Summary: A Perfect Comedy
Review: This movie hooked me from the very start. The tone was quick and self-assured. I love that. Getting the action going is the only thing to do with a movie like this. Even scenes that seemed like nothing more than introductory exposition (a truck bumping over a pot hole, a close-up of a tourist brochure), turned out to be setting up some of the movie's later business. And what a cast involved here to handle that business! These are gifted performers at the top of their games. Wow! While the material plays with a lighter touch than many of Mamet's famous works, there is no reason to question the genius. This is a thoroughly splendid movie. I was especially amazed by the performance of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Here he plays the screen writer and his role is the closest thing like a romantic male lead in the movie. After seeing him play Scotty in "Boogie Nights", I'm amazed that this is the same person. This guy is one heck of an actor. As she's been in everything I've viewed, Rebecca Pigeon is wonderful. Every time I see her perform, I feel like I know the person she has portrayed. She is brilliant. I could single out each performance in this movie for high praise. So lets just say that they are all exceptional! Why can't more movies be like this?
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