Mamet's worst film
People that say they like this film are just Mamet-strokers and will eat up anything that he puts on screen. I'm a Mamet fan, but this truly is a piece of garbage and it is easily his worst film.
The idea itself is good and could have been comic gold if Mamet didn't insist on giving it his usual metronomic dialogue. If Mamet wanted it to be a satire he should have let his very talented cast cut loose and create truly funny caricatures of the various Hollywood types they play. Instead they look hamstrung by Mamet's paper thin notions of Hollywood types. He goes for the obvious at every turn and none of it is funny, original, or perceptive. The only clever bit was having the locals quote box-office numbers.
But the real problem with this movie is the directing. It is one of the most visually uninteresting movies I have ever seen. I don't mean that there has to be beautiful vistas all filmed at magic hour for a movie to be visually appealing. I just want the compositions to effect and enhance the story. There is none of that in State and Main. Every scene is shot in the same flat manner and even the lighting is poorly done.
The other problem with State and Main is that it has no rhythm. The scenes don't transition well which gives the whole movie a cut and paste feel.
Mamet is a writer/director who is consistent in his style but he is wildly inconsistent in the quality of his work. Let's take a look at the films Mamet has directed.
The Good:
House of Games (a classic which shows Mamet knows how to visualize his own tricks)
The Winslow Boy (brilliant adaptation of the Rattigan play with a wealth of visual intelligence within the cramped setting of the play. also features what is easily Rebecca Pidgin's best performance. Northam and Hawthorne's performances are amazing.)
Spartan (pleasantly surprised by how accomplished the action scenes are in this film. this is also a clever script and the pacing make this the most "alive" of all of Mamet's films.)
Oleanna (Basically a filmed play but anyone who watches this will have a reaction. guaranteed. so in that sense it is a success.)
The Mediocre:
The Spanish Prisoner (a little too clever for its own good and the ending is a total cheesefest. but it does pull you in and is engrossing until the ridiculous resolution)
Things Change (Charming but in a thin way. Also lacks style and rhythm)
Homicide (kinda routine. Mamet loves to play with cliches but in this film he relies on cliches)
The Bad:
State & Main (atrocious. see above)
Heist (Cliches without any sense of irony or depth. everyone seems to be coasting on this one except Rebecca Pidgin who tries really hard to be vampish to poor effect. easily her worst perormance)
Anyone out there agree with me? Seriously, 6.9 overall rating is way too high for something this bad.