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Separating from the better-known partner in a showbiz double act is a hazardous affair. Larry David experienced it. Likewise Andrew Ridgeley. Presently, this clever and heartbreakingly sad chamber piece from writer the writer Robert Kaplow and filmmaker the director Richard Linklater recounts the almost agonizing story of musical theater lyricist the lyricist Lorenz Hart right after his separation from Richard Rodgers. His role is portrayed with flamboyant genius, an notable toupee and artificial shortness by actor Ethan Hawke, who is often digitally reduced in size – but is also sometimes recorded standing in an unseen pit to gaze upward sadly at heightened personas, addressing the lyricist's stature problem as actor José Ferrer previously portrayed the petite artist Toulouse-Lautrec.

Multifaceted Role and Themes

Hawke earns substantial, jaded humor with the character's witty comments on the concealed homosexuality of the film Casablanca and the cheesily upbeat musical he just watched, with all the lariat-wielding cowhands; he acidly calls it Okla-gay. The sexuality of Hart is complex: this picture skillfully juxtaposes his homosexuality with the heterosexual image created for him in the 1948 theater piece the musical Words and Music (with actor Mickey Rooney acting as Hart); it intelligently infers a kind of bisexual tendency from the lyricist's writings to his protege: youthful Yale attendee and budding theater artist Elizabeth Weiland, acted in this movie with uninhibited maidenly charm by the performer Margaret Qualley.

As part of the famous New York theater songwriting team with musician Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart was accountable for unparalleled tunes like the song The Lady Is a Tramp, Manhattan, the standard My Funny Valentine and of course the song Blue Moon. But exasperated with the lyricist's addiction, unreliability and depressive outbursts, Richard Rodgers ended their partnership and partnered with lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II to compose the show Oklahoma! and then a multitude of theater and film hits.

Emotional Depth

The picture imagines the deeply depressed Hart in the show Oklahoma!'s premiere New York audience in the year 1943, gazing with covetous misery as the production unfolds, despising its bland sentimentality, abhorring the exclamation point at the conclusion of the name, but heartsinkingly aware of how devastatingly successful it is. He understands a success when he views it – and senses himself falling into unsuccessfulness.

Even before the interval, Lorenz Hart sadly slips away and heads to the tavern at the establishment Sardi's where the remainder of the movie occurs, and waits for the (unavoidably) successful Oklahoma! cast to show up for their after-party. He knows it is his entertainment obligation to congratulate Richard Rodgers, to act as if things are fine. With polished control, the performer Andrew Scott plays Rodgers, obviously uncomfortable at what both are aware is Hart's embarrassment; he offers a sop to his ego in the guise of a temporary job composing fresh songs for their current production the show A Connecticut Yankee, which just exacerbates the situation.

• Actor Bobby Cannavale portrays the bartender who in standard fashion listens sympathetically to Hart’s arias of bitter despondency
• The thespian Patrick Kennedy acts as writer EB White, to whom Lorenz Hart inadvertently provides the notion for his kids' story the book Stuart Little
• Qualley portrays Weiland, the inaccessibly lovely Ivy League pupil with whom the picture envisions Lorenz Hart to be complexly and self-destructively in love

Lorenz Hart has earlier been rejected by Rodgers. Undoubtedly the universe wouldn't be that brutal as to get him jilted by Weiland as well? But Qualley ruthlessly portrays a girl who desires Hart to be the laughing, platonic friend to whom she can disclose her exploits with young men – as well of course the theater industry influencer who can advance her profession.

Standout Roles

Hawke demonstrates that Hart somewhat derives observational satisfaction in learning of these young men but he is also truly, sadly infatuated with Elizabeth Weiland and the picture reveals to us something rarely touched on in pictures about the realm of stage musicals or the cinema: the terrible overlap between professional and romantic failure. However at one stage, Hart is rebelliously conscious that what he has achieved will survive. It's an outstanding portrayal from Hawke. This may turn into a stage musical – but who shall compose the tunes?

The film Blue Moon screened at the London movie festival; it is available on the 17th of October in the USA, November 14 in the United Kingdom and on 29 January in the Australian continent.