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| Special Features: |
Audio Commentary by Actors David Paymer, William H. Macy, Clark Gregg, Patti LuPone and Sarah Jessica Parker
Theatrical Trailer
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| Video Format: |
Anamorphic Widescreen (1.85:1) and Pan & Scan
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| Languages: |
English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
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| Captions: |
English.
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| Casing: |
1-Disc Keep Case
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A Hollywood satire in the same vein as Robert Altman’s “The Player”, yet much more a screwball
comedy than Altman’s dark take on Hollywood, “State and Main” explores what happens when a big
budget movie production invades the quaint town of Waterford, Vermont. David Mamet’s edgy,
character-driven style once again strikes a chord (albeit a funny one) in this story about
screenwriter Joe White (Philip Seymour Hoffman), whose honest values are tested when he becomes
the only witness to heartthrob movie star Bob Barrenger’s (Alec Baldwin) indiscretions with
local minor Carla (Julia Stiles).
As the small town folk of Waterford become all too ready to give up their small town values for
the the glamour and glitz of Hollywood, Joe’s got much bigger problems to worry about. William
H. Macy plays the film’s smooth-talking director, who along with the film’s aggressive producer,
threaten Joe to put aside his convictions for the sake of the film and Joe’s future in Hollywood.
Both witty and hilarious, David Mamet crafts an extremely entertaining tale that’s filled with great
one-liners. In a scene between director Walt Price (Macy) and Joe, Walt exclaims “It’s not a lie.
It’s a gift for fiction.” The real treat in “State and Main” is the performance by Philip Seymour
Hoffman as screenwriter Joe White. Once again adding a new dimension to his ever growing list of
acting talents, Hoffman plays the naďve, quirky, funny, and sweet character of Joe to perfection.
“State and Main” is clever and funny, without ever risking the danger of being preachy.
Not a very loaded DVD, but it gets the job done. Audio and video quality are very good, menu simple
and straightforward, and a solid commentary track.
Picture Quality: 10/10
Absolutely gorgeous presentation from New Line. Sharp and clean, distortions and grainy artifacts were kept at a minimum.
Fleshtones are well balanced, and the image has a nice depth and dimension to it. Also noteworthy is the fact that I never even noticed the layer transition on this dual layer disc.
Sound Quality: 9/10
Though not a very demanding audio track, the dialogue was presented very sharp and crisp. At this point
in the DVD timeline, there isn't a whole lot that can go wrong with sound transfer nowadays.
Menu: 8/10
Simple, straightforward, no frills.
Extra Features: 6/10
The only real extra feature is the audio commentary by actors David Paymer, William H. Macy, Clark Gregg, Patti
LuPone and Sarah Jessica Parker. Interesting commentary track, especially given the storyline of the film,
in that you get to hear the actors discuss just how close to the reality of Hollywood much of the movie is based
on. David Paymer (who plays the producer) is extremely insightful on the track, as is William H. Macy.
Strangely though, director Mamet is nowhere to be found...
The Final Word:
One of the most clever and funny movies of 2000, the film doesn't miss a beat on DVD. If you're
a David Mamet fan, or just a fan of sharp and witty comedies, "State and Main" is definitely a must see.
Stephen Wong
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