Blue Moon is more than just a movie; it is a meticulously crafted character study and a poignant tribute to one of Broadway’s greats, lyricist Lorenz Hart.
Structured to play out in real time, Blue Moon is a captivating depiction of a pivotal night in 1943, when Lorenz Hart spent the evening reminiscing about his stellar career and longing for the comfortable companionship he used to share with his musical partner, Richard Rodgers. Within this compressed timeframe, five-time Oscar nominee Richard Linklater creates an intimate, theatrical experience around a larger-than-life figure who doesn’t just enter a room; he takes it over.
At the heart of Linklater’s love letter to a bygone era is an extraordinary performance by Ethan Hawke. Hawke doesn’t just play the legendary lyricist; he transforms into Hart, capturing his self-destructive charm and arrogance mixed with vulnerability. One minute Hart’s waxing wise, dissecting lyrics and parceling out praise for the perfect wording or condemnation for lazy lyrics. The next, he’s a lovesick loner, pining for a woman he knows will never see him as anything more than a friend.
Blue Moon touches on Hart’s sexual orientation but doesn’t linger, finding other interesting topics to spend time focusing on. The changing Broadway musical scene is much more entertaining to explore, and Blue Moon dives into the shifting musical styles and Rodgers and Hart’s transition to Rodgers and Hammerstein. Against that backdrop, Blue Moon tells the story of soured friendships, addiction, and sheer ambition.
The film spends all but a few minutes inside Broadway’s historic Sardi’s restaurant, which takes on a life of its own. Sardi’s was the nerve center for Broadway’s opening night parties, and in this case the party is celebrating Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!. The film’s strength is in its dialogue, which is full of the kind of intellectual sparring that you can imagine actually happened inside the iconic restaurant in the ’40s.
Blue Moon isn’t just for theatre kids, although they’ll undoubtedly eat it up. It’s rich with theatrical history and anchored by an absolutely riveting performance by Ethan Hawke. Hawke delivers an engrossing turn as an artist battling demons while coming to terms with the loss of a creative partnership that provided an escape from his internal struggles and addictions.
Blue Moon is heartbreaking and even joyous, despite the tragic outcome. Lorenz Hart was a fascinating, troubled artist, and Blue Moon paints a deeply human picture of a very complicated, flawed man.
GRADE: B+
Rating: R for language and sexual references
Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
Release Date: October 17, 2025, expanding October 24
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, Bobby Cannavale, and Andrew Scott
This post was last modified on February 18, 2026 7:00 pm