Worth seeing:

for Ethan Hawke's desperately upbeat portrayal of a once great lyricist, watching all those around him progress, while he faces his inevitable decline

Director:	Richard Linklater
Featuring:	Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Andrew Scott, Bobby Cannavale, David Rawle, Giles Surridge, John Cronin, Jonah Lees, Patrick Kennedy, Simon Delaney
Length:	100 minutes
Certificate:	15
Country:	US
Released:	28th November 2025

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

For two decades, lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) and composer Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) have had a hugely successful song-writing partnership, but Hart’s drinking and depression have been taking their toll on their relationship and Rodgers has decided to take a break from the team to work with the lyricist Oscar Hammerstein (Simon Delaney) on the Broadway musical Oklahoma!

At the opening night, Hart can see it’s going to be a huge success and can’t bear to witness the adulation that’s bound to shower down on his former partner, so he nips out early to wait for the after-party in the dignified calm of his favourite bar.

While they’re waiting for the theatre company to arrive, Hart regales the bartender Eddie (Bobby Cannavale) with tales of his life and loves, gives musical tips to young pianist Morty (Jonah Lees) and inspires the author EB White (Patrick Kennedy) to write his first children’s novel, Stuart Little.

But after the final curtain, Hart faces the indignity of having to congratulate Rodgers on his success, accept the few scraps that Rodgers throws his way and discovers that the much younger woman he has feelings for, Elizabeth (Margaret Qualley), doesn’t love him “in that way.”

WHAT’S IT LIKE?

From Manhattan and My Funny Valentine to Isn’t it Romantic and – of course – Blue Moon, Rodgers and Hart’s collaborations will echo through musical history as part of the Great American Songbook, which is part of what makes Richard Linklater’s film so heartbreaking. Set almost entirely in Sardi’s Bar, we get to witness the moment when Rodgers and Hart were confined to history and Rodgers and Hammerstein became the future.

But as well as seeing the diminutive Lorenz Hart trying to hold his head high professionally, we also watch as he throws himself at the mercy of a young woman’s heart – having apparently given up on the hearts of many a young man – only to have it brutally thrown back in his face.

A proud man brought ruthlessly to his knees – all the while, smiling and joking as he tries to show the world that it doesn’t trouble him while keeping his pain, jealousy and disappointment hidden deep beneath the surface.

There are some crumbs of hope dangled before us – from the prospect of Hart giving up the booze to Rodgers leaving the door open for future collaboration but the opening scene – seven months after the main events of this film – tells us before we start where these crumbs will lead; it adds context which really isn’t necessary – especially since it’s alluded to in a closing caption anyway – simply spreading a further dose of misery that detracts from the drama.

Andrew Scott’s Rodgers tries to show compassion, but knows where his future lies – similarly, Margaret Qualley’s Elizabeth doesn’t want to upset Hart, but is perfectly happy to take advantage of his kindness – in listening to her troubles and helping her progress in her career.

Hart’s forlorn face as he accepts that both professionally and personally, he is likely to be living vicariously through his past connections, is painful to watch – and his frequent invites to a soiree he’s planning to host later that night just highlights his growing loneliness, as his desperation to remain relevant just speeds up his decline.

It’s the all-too-often-seen story of a man who brought so much levity and joy to so many, trying so desperately to remain relevant as he does his best to cover up the pain he’s suffering inside.

This film is Ethan Hawke’s entirely – it’s almost a 100 minute monologue – as he holds court, pontificating on the everything from latent themes within Casablanca to the redundant exclamation mark in the title of Oklahoma! For much of it, he’s seated, to camouflage Hart’s small frame, but on the rare occasions where he is upright, he’s either standing in a hole or he’s been digitally shrunk, to the point where it’s really quite distracting.