Amidst the crazy excitement that is the Sundance Film Festival, I had a chance to squeeze in a showing of State and Main, a film I've been excited to see for quite some time. State and Main comes to us courtesy of the brilliant screenwriter David Mamet who, when we're really lucky, sometimes moonlights as a director (Spanish Prisoner, The Winslow Boy). Mamet sort of follows the same path as John Sayles (Brother From Another Planet, Eight Men Out, Lonestar) in that he tries to stay on the independent path, while dabbling in the occasional big studio picture (he currently penned the Hannibal screenplay with Steven Zaillian).

In this hilarious and scathing look at the world of film making, a movie crew decides to shoot a picture in a small Vermont town. Some of the townsfolk welcome the crew with open arms such as a local playwright played by Rebecca Pidgeon. She becomes smitten with the screenwriter (Philip Seymour Hoffman) and sort of serves as his muse. Meanwhile, the director of the picture (William H. Macy) becomes sidetracked with a barrage of difficulties including his main actress' (Sarah Jessica Parker) unwillingness to do a nude scene, and a nasty scandal involving his lead actor (Alec Baldwin). Suffice to say, there are a lot of subplots in State and Main, but that's life on the set of a movie.

State and Main is a spectacular ensemble and every performance is alive with texture. If I had to pick my favorite performance, it would have to be David Paymer as a strong willed Producer named Marty (it should also be noted that he resembles a certain famous director in real life). This underused actor is terrific and he really sinks his teeth into this part. I'd also like to mention Hoffman who is not the conventional romantic lead, but here, you do buy his sincerity.

Of course, this is Mamet's show and his screenplay soars with the usual flow of his past work. It also throws a whole hell of a lot of punches at showbiz and made me ask myself; "I wonder what parts of this film came from actual life experiences?" With each passing picture, Mamet becomes a better director as well. Incidentally, State and Main isn't interested in bashing the Hollywood system. Sure, Mamet is showing the ugliness and the pain of film making, but he's also saying; "You know what? Despite all the crap, this movie making thing is loads of fun."

In State and Main, Mamet always avoids the easy way out of a tough situation. As a result, this is a film full of unpredictable moments. It's also a movie that offers a bit of everything. Romance, comedy, scandal etc. This picture delivers the goods nonstop.

With State and Main, Mamet has constructed another winner, both in terms of writing (this is easily one of the best written films of the year) and directing. He shows a keen eye and sure hand with his craft. This is certainly one of the best movies of 2000!