![]() ![]() He asks his mother, “How does a man behave with a woman?” William learns that passion contains the germ of its own destruction because it cannot be repeated and cannot be owned. Everyone comes from somewhere, carrying baggage. Webber is so good at conveying the untethered energy of a no-longer-teenager who hasn’t learnt the nuances of twentysomething fakery, half way between a boy and a man, untutored in charm school and desperate for guidance. “Some day, Sarah,” he says, “you are going to have to talk to me.” She’s serious, grown up and avoids self analysis. That’s what he wants, of course, but does not understand why she is afraid of commitment, or can’t handle surprises. “If we have sex, I’ll fall in love with you,” she says. “I’m nervous all the time,” he tells her. She’s an aspiring singer, determined and ambitious, with a definite goal, unlike William, who swivels from one objective to another. William meets Sarah (Catalina Sandino Moreno) in a bar. The Hottest State – that’s Texas – is an intelligent love story, which means it’s not easy. Being this young in a profession that demands you inhabit the persona of an imaginary character, who may be totally different to you, is like playing hide-and-seek with sanity. William’s mind is so far from being made up, it positively pleads for an anchor. Hawke’s writing is hot on the money, as close as you know to the false bravado and insecure hope of a lost boy. ![]() There are many strands to the movie, giving it a layered effect, as if the clichés are not clichés any more, because nothing can be taken for granted, especially love. One of the pretty girls was his mom who grows up into Laura Linney (terrific performance) and one of the young guys was his dad who grows up into Ethan Hawke (skinny and intense). It is only later that we meet the narrator, William (Mark Webber), the 20-year-old actor in New York. A narrative voiceover talks of “my mother and father” when the scene is of a couple of young guys picking up two pretty girls and talking about going to Vegas. Hawke comes from Texas and is an actor and once was 20-years-old. Directed and written by Ethan Hawke, based on his novel about a 20-year-old Texan actor trying to make it in New York, the danger of self indulgence is strong.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |