Rating: 
Summary: Mamet takes his shot at Hollywood.
Review: "State and Main" is the latest movie to attack the whole Hollywood movie making system. Like Blake Edwards's "S.O.B." and Robert Altman's "The Player," David Mamet's movie could only have been made by a thoroughly disgusted insider. There are striking similarities in all three movies. Each was made by a director with a strong independent streak, each feature large ensemble casts of well known actors and actresses doing parodies of themselves and each is a cynical black comedy about the making of a Hollywood movie. That said, Mamet's film is well acted, particularly by the always great William H. Macy as the slick Director and by Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the playwrite turned screenwriter. Alec Baldwin is appropriately sleazy as the leading man with a penchant for teenage girls and Sarah Jessica Parker has some amusing moments as the leading lady who suddnly develops a phobia about shooting a nude scene. The Vermont town on which this Hollywood horde descends is filled with the type of unusal eccentrics one would expect in a small New England villiage.The film's plot has two central stories, one is the attempt to cover up the illicit liasion between Bladwin's character and a local teenager. The other is a rather sweet love story between Hoffman and a local used bookseller, played by Rebecca Pidgeon, who's engagingly spunky performance almost steals the show from her better known co-stars. Through all of this, the film manages to be at times whimsical and at times quite funny. Unfortunately, its huge cast turns out to be a bit of a liability and as a result a number of the characters underdeveloped and cliche. A number of plot treads, such as the destruction of the town's cherished stained glass fire house window, are left hanging. And the movie's ending, aiming for the same type of cynical tour-de-force as the climax of "The Player," ultimately falls short from lack of plausibility. Overall, "State and Main" is an enjoyable film for movie buffs and will not disappoint fans of Mamet's quirky style. But as a send-up of Hollywood, it shoots a bit wide of the mark.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful and Hilarious
Review: "State and Main" is a throwback to the often gentle but hilarious satires of the 50s and 60s--you know the ones where the bucolic splendor of small-town America is thrust into chaos by the arrival of out-of-towners. Like "The Music Man" and "The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!", David Mamet's sendup is witty and affecting, though many of his famous four-letter-word sensibilities still pepper the mix. The terrific ensemble cast includes Alec Baldwin, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rebecca Pidgeon, William H. Macy, and Sarah Jessica Parker, and the story revolves around a frenetic movie crew struggling to turn a dramatic disaster into a box-office winner. Along the way, they brave graft from the locals, the Machiavellian efforts of a producer, and the peccadilloes of a star that deserves to be locked up. Despite some raunch and cynicism, Mamet somehow manages to splash a sweet gloss on it all, particularly with a refreshingly watchable romance between Hoffman and Pidgeon. Look for some great sight gags, too, and, of course, Mamet's penchant for rip-snortin' dialogue. About the only complaint I have is that Ricky Jay didn't have more to do.
Rating:
Summary: Mainly Funny
Review: Phillip Hoffman is searching for purity. Unfortunately his play has been purchased by a wild Hollywood movie crew, and they are off and shooting in Waterford, Vermont because Main Street is already there. It is cheaper than building a set. Then the town folks, New Englanders, dry and pragmatic, mingle with Hollywood slime balls, daft, smooth-talking director, William H. Macy and screen idol, young girl chasing, Alex Baldwin. Sarah J. Parker of Sex in the City fame plays the nymphomaniac actress bedding everyone in sight. Small town smart girl Rebecca Pigeon and writer Hoffman make the necessary changes in the script and then they fall in love. A scandal threatens the shoot and somebody forgets the mayor's dinner party. There is plenty of manic fun here. I recommend for a good laugh. Also, is it just me or is William H. Macy the best actor in the world.
Rating: 
Summary: Not very good...
Review: ...But it gets one star for the brief moments that Ricky Jay has in the film and another for portions of Alec Baldwin's performance. Overall this is a stinker. Mamet is not a good director. He should stick to writing.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable and fun
Review: State and Main is a witty, intelligent, and funny movie. Worth owning.
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.
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