Ethan Hawke delivers a career best in "Blue Moon"

Director Richard Linklater reunites with his frequent collaborator Ethan Hawke for the ninth time in “Blue Moon,” a film from Sony Pictures Classics. The screenplay, written by Robert Kaplow, is a biopic about the legendary songwriter Lorenz Hart.

I have been a fan of Ethan Hawke since “Explorers” and of director Richard Linklater since “Dazed & Confused.” Since biopics are one of my favorite film genres, “Blue Moon” is right up my alley. From the moment the film opens, with Ethan Hawke’s Lorenz Hart stumbling out of a bar and collapsing in the rain, the voiceover hints at his tragic fate. We know the film will avoid a warts-and-all narrative.

Hawke delivers one of his most soul-stirring performances yet in a dialogue-driven drama that unfolds over the course of one night in 1943—the evening of *Oklahoma!*’s Broadway debut. As the troubled lyricist Lorenz Hart, Hawke immerses himself in the role with haunting precision, depicting a man caught between genius and self-destruction.

The story is set almost entirely inside Sardi’s, that legendary Broadway watering hole where dreams and regrets intermingle over martinis and late-night confessions. While the world outside celebrates the emergence of a new American musical era, Hart retreats from the spotlight to drown his bitterness and loneliness at the bar.

Enter the bartender, played with understated grace by Bobby Cannavale, who acts as both Hart’s confessor and mirror. The two engage in a verbal dance that is part therapy session, part sparring match—one trying to numb his pain while the other quietly fights to save him from it. The chemistry between Hawke and Cannavale feels entirely organic, flowing with the rhythm of two actors who understand silence as profoundly as they understand dialogue.

Music historians will appreciate brief appearances from the likes of Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott), Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney), and Stephen Sondheim (Cillian Sullivan). While they aren’t given substantial solo arcs, they do play a part in the final of Hart’s life. Director Richard Linklater maintains a tight focus, allowing the camera to linger on Hawke’s worn expressions and slurred wit.

The result is a raw, unflinching portrait of artistry, addiction, and the cost of brilliance. “Blue Moon” isn’t just a period piece; it’s a timeless exploration of what happens when the music fades and a man is left alone with his ghosts.

Final Grade: B+

“Blue Moon” opens in limited release on Friday, October 24.