As far as famous songwriting duos go, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are arguably the most popular.

If you go down the list, you’ll probably stumble on Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, who created some of the 20th century’s best musicals, like The King and I and The Sound of Music.

But before Rodgers collaborated with Hammerstein, he was part of another duo with a man history has largely forgotten — Lorenz “Larry” Hart.

That’s about to change with Blue Moon, Richard Linklater’s terrific film about a man who reached the top of his profession and lived long enough to see himself touch the bottom.

Blue Moon is one of 2025’s best movies, and a large reason why is the lead performance by an actor who — like Hart himself — is long overdue for recognition.

What Is ‘Blue Moon’ About?

Blue Moon takes place at Sardi’s, a popular Broadway bar and restaurant, on the night of March 31, 1941. What’s so important about that particular day? It’s the opening night of Oklahoma!, a new musical from Rodgers (Andrew Scott) and Hammerstein (Simon Delaney), whose groundbreaking music and lyrics would change Broadway and the musical format forever.

Rodgers’ former collaborator, Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke), had nothing to do with Oklahoma!, but he wants to celebrate Rodgers’ success — and ruminate over his private and professional failures. Sardi’s is the place to do it, and while he waits for Rodgers and others to arrive after the show ends, he chats it up with the friendly bartender, Eddie (Bobby Cannavale), and the handsome piano player, Knuckles (Jonah Lees).

Hart doesn’t think much of Oklahoma!, but he knows it will be a huge hit and what that success will inevitably signify — that his kind of songs are out of fashion and the theater world has already moved on. Down but not out, Larry still has enough energy to engage in a flirtation with Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley), who represents everything Hart is not — young, optimistic and free of disappointment and cynicism. But this would-be love affair can’t mask what’s clear to almost everyone, even Hart — he’s on his way down, and there’s nothing he can do about it.

A Music Biopic Like No Other

The music biopic subgenre has been popular lately, with 2024’s A Complete Unknown and this year’s Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. While those movies focused on popular musicians at key creative periods in their burgeoning careers, Blue Moon focuses specifically on Hart’s lowest point, when his former collaborator is about to have one of his best successes, while he has nothing but an impulse to drink and talk to strangers.

Director Richard Linklater is smart to focus on this key point in Hart’s life because it’s rich in dramatic material that few filmmakers have mined. We’re all used to the rags-to-riches stories of famous people, but what happens once the spotlight fades and the curtains come down? Hart isn’t quite Norma Desmond — he’s not driven mad by his obsession with his past glory. Instead, he’s just sad, and it’s the way he grapples with his depression — with biting humor and one last stab at romance — that makes Blue Moon so fascinating to watch.

Ethan Hawke Is Unrecognizable — and Gives His Best Performance to Date

If you place a photo of Lorenz Hart and Ethan Hawke side by side, you’d see two men who look nothing alike. But acting isn’t just mimicry — it’s conveying the essential spirit of the character, even if the physical attributes don’t exactly align. That’s why the 5’10” Hawke looks and feels like the barely 5’0” tall Hart. With the help of clever camera angles and generous prosthetics, Hawke embodies a man who compensates for his short stature and receding hairline with his quick wit and manic hustle. When Larry flirts with Elizabeth, you can understand why she’s drawn to him, even though she doesn’t see him as a romantic partner. She’s fascinated by him, and so are we.

That’s Hawke’s doing, and it’s high time we recognize him as one of our best and most interesting American actors. Yes, I’m talking about Ethan Hawke, who first popped on my pop culture radar as a largely vapid symbol of Gen X angst and has since evolved into a fascinating and risk-taking character actor with leading-man looks. The Before trilogy, Boyhood, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead, First Reformed — all of these films showcase an actor in command of his craft, and a thespian who is willing to experiment to get at the truth of the characters he’s playing.

That’s the case with his Hart in Blue Moon. Underneath the playful banter and charm, there’s a desperation and vulnerability that peeks through here and there. Hawke doesn’t overplay it or make Hart into a sad clown worthy only of pity. Instead, he emerges as a tragic figure worth remembering — and appreciating.

Why ‘Blue Moon’ Is One of 2025’s Best Movies

Blue Moon is one of those movies you can go on and on about. I wish I had more space and digital ink to devote to Margaret Qualley, who adds another role that showcases her versatility to her already impressive resume. (This is the same actress who showed a flair for camp excess in last year’s horror hit, The Substance.) And Andrew Scott continues his late-career renaissance as Hart’s former partner and present rival, who still has some unsettled feelings he needs to share with the man who helped him establish his career.

Even though it takes place largely in one setting, Blue Moon never feels static or stagey — it’s a movie that’s powered by Hawke’s infectious energy and a script that isn’t afraid to be wordy and revel in clever wordplay. At a time when the multiplex can feel bleak and populated with overstuffed superhero pictures, noisy anime imports and tired franchise films, Blue Moon is a rarity — an intelligent and sophisticated movie for adults. To paraphrase one of Hart’s most famous song titles, it will leave you a little bewitched, somewhat bothered and enjoyably bewildered.

Blue Moon is now playing in theaters.