BLUE MOON (2025) review
written by: Robert Kaplow
produced by: Mike Blizzard, John Sloss, and Richard Linklater
directed by: Richard Linklater
rated: R (for language and sexual references)
runtime: 100 min.
U.S. release date: October 24, 2025
“Blue Moon” marks the ninth film that actor Ethan Hawke and director Richard Linklater have collaborated on, and I genuinely hope these two native Texans continue to work together. The biographical comedy also marks a reunion between Linklater and screenwriter Robert Kaplow, after they collaborated on 2008’s “Me and Orson Welles,” which portrayed real-life characters set in a specific time in the past. That happens in “Blue Moon” as well, which spends one night with lyricist Lorenz Hart as he struggles with an uncertain future in show business. Using a single location, Linklater offers an engaging experience with characters, allowing a fun time with Kaplow’s snappy dialogue, and giving Hawke a career-best performance as Hart.
On March 31, 1943, in New York City, lyricist Lorenz “Larry” Hart (Ethan Hawke) makes it out of the opening night of “Oklahoma!” on Broadway before the end of the show. The musical was written by Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), a longtime collaborator with Hart, with whom he worked on 26 Broadway musicals, with their biggest hits being “Babes in Arms,” “The Boys from Syracuse,” “Pal Joey”, and “On Your Toes.” However, Rogers has moved on to other creative endeavors with new partner Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney), and from the elated reception, it appears that they have an emerging hit on their hands with “Oklahoma!”. Hart pulls up to the bar at Sardi’s, a nearby restaurant where people stop before or after taking in a musical or play. Hart is a staple there, where bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavalle) pours him shots of bourbon and pianist Morty (Jonah Lees) tickles the ivories. He’s there before the big afterparty, conversing with author E.B. White (Patrick Kennedy), who’s trying to wrap his brain around concepts he has for a children’s book. But Hart anticipates the arrival of Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), a college-age young talent the 47-year-old is enamored with. As the evening progresses, Hart does his best to be gracious and entertaining, especially once the “Oklahoma!” crew arrives. Yet the weight of being left behind gradually overcomes him, and he must inevitably confront his own behavior while Rogers receives praise.
The musical “Oklahoma!” would indeed go on to become a significant hit and would be adapted into an Oscar-winning movie musical, even becoming quite a popular pick amongst community and school theaters. Initially, Hart does his best not to show his disdain for the musical, as it would be typically expected from someone who used to work so closely with Rogers. But he can’t help slipping in jabs at the material, trying and failing to mask his bitterness with humor. He’s a fascinating character to watch, one of those guys who comes across as interesting as you begin talking to him, but then reveals himself to be an annoying borderline narcissist, sharing only his own stories about his past successes and caring very little about anyone listening.
Still, it’s easy to be drawn to Hart, and that’s primarily due to the way Hawke portrays him. It’s a multifaceted performance that first draws attention to his physicality and then to his ADD-adjacent personality. He’s a diminutive character with an extreme comb-over, and Hawke plays him as someone who starts talking to avoid being judged by his appearance. Linklater and cinematographer Shane F. Kelly play with the visuals to convince viewers of Hart’s short stature, and however they do it, it’s a predominantly successful approach. Initially, my brain knew it was Ethan Hawke and wanted to figure out what was being done to convince us he’s this short fella, but the more time I spent with Hawke, the more absorbed I became by his work here. It’s a challenging role, in that it’s designed to show the subtleties of what Hart is feeling on this one particular night. He’s clearly insecure, but wants to come across as this socially engaging charmer who puts sobriety to the wayside for the evening.
Hawke does a remarkable job of conveying a wide range of Hart’s emotions, especially in the film’s third act, when the character becomes vulnerable toward Qualley’s Elizabeth. The actor gradually conveys a fragility at the core of Hart, someone who feels unloved and forgotten, as seen in Hawke’s heartbreaking expressions. Watching him effortlessly deliver Kaplow’s often-witty dialogue is the equivalent of verbal jujitsu. Hawke has been nominated for an Oscar four times, twice for Best Supporting Actor (“Training Day” and “Boyhood”) and twice for his screenwriting with Linklater (“Before Sunrise” and “Before Midnight”). If he were to be nominated for this role, it would be fitting, and even better if he won. Hawke is an artist who keeps getting interesting with age and has taken on a variety of roles in recent years, but this feels like an adventurous choice that definitely pays off.
The third act of “Blue Moon” makes room for the tension we expect between Rodgers and Hart, but there are some surprises there. There are pleasantries and mutual respect exchanged between the former partners, but there’s never a public outburst, nor does either of them cause a scene amongst the Broadway elite. As Rodgers, Andrew Scott shows patience and understanding for the needy Hart, knowing he’s experiencing disappointment and wounded pride. They have a couple of one-on-one exchanges where Hart takes Rodgers aside, and each time it’s as if Hart is hanging on to a life preserver as the waves around him become too much. Despite its liveliness and infectious atmosphere, “Blue Moon” eventually plays as a melancholy eulogy (something Hart would frown upon), especially in the way Linklater frames the film. At the same time, it’s also a tribute to an artist most people either didn’t know about or have forgotten.
RATING: ***1/2
