---
title: "Blue Moon"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/blue-moon"
fi1m_id: "blue-moon"
imdb_id: "tt32536315"
tmdb_id: 1299655
wikidata_id: "Q127118129"
fi1m_score: 78
critics_score: 76
critics_reviews: 24
published: "2026-09-24T03:41:35.844989+00:00"
updated: "2026-09-24T03:41:37.380526+00:00"
region: "MX"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Blue Moon (2025)

Directed by Richard Linklater · 1h 41m · Music, History, Drama, Comedy

## Identity

Blue Moon

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/blue-moon
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** blue-moon
- **IMDb ID:** tt32536315
- **TMDB ID:** 1299655
- **Wikidata ID:** Q127118129
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32536315/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1299655, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q127118129

**Fi1m score: 78** · Critics 76 from 24 reviews

*In a sentence:* Ethan Hawke talks so well that we almost forgive him for not stopping

> Richard Linklater’s chamber drama gives Ethan Hawke room to make Lorenz Hart witty, needy and painfully human. Some speeches run too long, but we recommend it for the performances, especially Andrew Scott’s.

## Synopsis

In New York’s Broadway circles, lyricist Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke) faces professional disappointment and wants reassurance that his talent still matters. Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) belongs to that professional life; Elizabeth Weiland (Margaret Qualley) occupies his hopes for companionship. Hart talks, jokes and measures himself against a world that seems to be moving away from him. His wit keeps people listening, but his need for their attention puts pressure on the conversations. Professional insecurity and romantic longing become difficult to separate as he tries to find someone who will give him the answer he wants.

## Review

Richard Linklater’s *Blue Moon* is a rewarding chamber drama with a patience-testing man at its centre. It gives Ethan Hawke a demanding task as Lorenz Hart: make an artist’s self-pity worth listening to without pretending it is always attractive. We recommend the film because the performance keeps finding something worth our attention beneath the fluent talk. There are stretches when that talk goes on too long. Robert Kaplow’s screenplay is sharp enough elsewhere to make the repetition seem avoidable.

The pleasure of Ethan Hawke’s performance is how quickly admiration can give way to impatience. Hart can be funny enough to make his next interruption seem welcome, at least until he gets going. We were saddened by the loneliness in the quieter passages, because the man who has so much to say still seems unable to ask plainly for company. That is where the acting gets beyond a display of verbal skill. His neediness remains uncomfortable, and the film is better for allowing it to be.

Andrew Scott, as Richard Rodgers, gives the film another person worth watching whenever Hart threatens to fill it completely. Their scenes make professional disappointment feel awkwardly personal, with an alertness that the longer solo passages sometimes lack. Margaret Qualley gives Elizabeth Weiland enough weight to resist becoming merely another occasion for Hart to feel sorry for himself. That matters in a film so strongly attached to one man’s point of view. We can care about his unhappiness without expecting everyone around him to organise their lives around it.

Shane F. Kelly’s cinematography is most persuasive in keeping our attention on the actors, though the confinement occasionally becomes wearing. Susie Cullen’s production design gives the Broadway setting a persuasive atmosphere without making the surroundings more interesting than the people. There is pleasure in a film that expects faces and conversation to hold our attention for this long. The presentation suits the material, even when we begin to feel we have been sitting there for a while.

Sandra Adair’s editing serves the conversational exchanges well; the difficulty comes when Robert Kaplow’s script finds another way to underline the same humiliation. The middle loses pace because we have understood Hart’s predicament before the film stops explaining it. Graham Reynolds’s music contributes less to the sadness than the actors’ timing, a sensible proportion in a drama so dependent on listening. At 101 minutes, the film still feels as though a few speeches could be shortened without losing much.

As a portrait of an artist in decline, *Blue Moon* earns its sympathy by allowing Hart to be difficult company. It avoids the dutiful admiration that can make a biographical drama feel like an obligation, and remains interested in what other people might find exhausting about him. Less convincing is the work done to alter Ethan Hawke’s appearance. The hairpiece and height effects occasionally draw attention to the practical problem of casting, just when the acting has made that problem unimportant.

The film is strongest when somebody else has enough room to answer Hart, and when a pause lets us stop admiring his vocabulary. Those encounters give the loneliness time to register without another speech explaining it. We would happily accept a little less eloquence for more of them. Choose it for an evening when listening to a difficult, gifted man sounds like pleasure rather than unpaid work.

*Fi1m score 78, published 24 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics welcome Blue Moon as a witty, melancholy portrait of Lorenz Hart, with praise centred on Ethan Hawke’s performance. The reviews repeatedly credit him with making Hart’s brilliance, neediness and loneliness visible beneath the talk, while several also commend Andrew Scott and Margaret Qualley. Richard Linklater’s sensitive direction and the sharp dialogue earn approval for keeping professional decline and romantic disappointment affecting without becoming excessively mournful.

The spread runs from enthusiasm to qualified approval, with no outright negative reviews. Reservations concern the chamber drama’s momentum: some find the speeches exhausting, the middle slack or the humiliations overworked. The Independent finds the film increasingly claustrophobic despite Hawke’s compelling performance, while Variety admires the layered writing but considers him miscast, distracted by the hairpiece and physical adjustments. Hawke is therefore both the clearest point of agreement and the subject of a smaller, pointed dispute over his suitability for Hart.

## Straight answers

**Is Blue Moon worth watching?**

*Blue Moon* is worth watching for its performances and sharp conversation, particularly if we enjoy intimate dramas about difficult people; we score it 78 out of 100. Ethan Hawke makes Lorenz Hart’s loneliness matter, and Andrew Scott gives him someone worth listening to, though repeated speeches slow the middle.

**How long is Blue Moon, and what is it rated?**

*Blue Moon* runs 1h 41m. It is a music and history film.

**Where can I watch Blue Moon in Mexico?**

*Blue Moon* is streaming on HBO Max and Amazon Prime Video in Mexico, and it is also available to buy from Amazon Prime Video from MX$149.00. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Blue Moon, and is it suitable for children?**

*Blue Moon* carries a UK 15 certificate, so it is not suitable for children under 15. We would steer older teenagers towards it for an interest in adult relationships and professional disappointment, rather than thrills; the certificate alone does not establish how much violence or frightening material it contains.

**How does Blue Moon compare to All About Eve?**

*Blue Moon* is the more intimate portrait of loneliness, while [*All About Eve*](https://film.one/film/all-about-eve) is our stronger choice for cruelly funny theatre satire and professional jealousy. We recommend both for their writing and performances, but Hawke’s extended speeches test patience in *Blue Moon*, whereas the reservation with *All About Eve* is its occasionally stiff flashback structure.

**What should I watch after Blue Moon?**

After *Blue Moon*, try [*All About Eve*](https://film.one/film/all-about-eve) (1950, Fi1m 90): More professional jealousy, with conversation sharp enough to leave lasting damage. Then [*The Dresser*](https://film.one/film/the-dresser) (1983, Fi1m 80): For the exhausting work of keeping a difficult performer on his feet; and [*Before Sunset*](https://film.one/film/before-sunset) (2004, Fi1m 91): Conversation carries the feeling, and the pauses matter as much as the words.

### Reviews we read (24)

- **Evening Standard**, Hannah Pettit (5/5): Pettit finds the chamber drama poignant and compelling, with a sadness that avoids becoming overly melancholic. She particularly praises the performances, singling out Margaret Qualley’s scene about a confusing college fling. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-margaret-qualley-b1260239.html)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Tim Grierson (90/100, inferred): Grierson finds the film an understated, profound elegy for an artist confronting his decline. He especially praises Ethan Hawke’s vulnerable and egoless portrayal of Lorenz Hart. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-10-17/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-richard-linklater-lorenz-hart-margaret-qualley)
- **Sight and Sound**, BFI (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the film witty, poignant and finely nuanced. Hawke’s energetic performance and Linklater’s sensitive direction are singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/blue-moon-ethan-hawke-feels-unstoppable-richard-linklaters-loving-broadway-biopic)
- **IndieWire**, David Opie (B+): Opie finds the film a vibrant, witty portrait that brings viewers closer to Hart, though it does not fully succeed and sags somewhat in the middle. He especially praises Ethan Hawke’s commanding, nuanced performance and his chemistry with Andrew Scott. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/blue-moon-movie-review-ethan-hawke-richard-linklater-lorenz-hart-1235096607/)
- **Little White Lies**, David Jenkins (3/4/3): Jenkins finds the film handsome but slight, meandering, and lacking purpose. He praises Ethan Hawke’s immersive, appealing portrayal of Hart, while criticizing the piling up of humiliations and predictable foreshadowing. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/blue-moon)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, David Rooney (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the film beautifully executed, fascinatingly nuanced, and a satisfying addition to Linklater and Hawke’s collaboration. Hawke’s performance is singled out for capturing Hart’s razor-sharp wit alongside the damage and loneliness beneath it. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-richard-linklater-andrew-scott-margaret-qualley-1236140076/)
- **The New Yorker**, Richard Brody (80/100, inferred): Brody praises Blue Moon as a moving portrait of a gifted artist confronting obsolescence. He singles out Ethan Hawke’s transformative performance and the film’s vivid embodiment of Hart’s intellect and personality. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/10/20/blue-moon-movie-review-nouvelle-vague)
- **Time Out**, Stephen A Russell (4/5): The review presents the film as a sassy, heartsore gem. It singles out the reunion of Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott for praise. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/blue-moon-review-2025)
- **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (78/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film witty and heartbreakingly sad, praising Ethan Hawke’s terrific, campy performance as Lorenz Hart. He singles out the film’s sharp portrayal of Hart’s overlapping professional and romantic disappointments. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/oct/16/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-richard-linklater-broadway-hart-rodgers)
- **Vulture**, Alison Willmore (78/100, inferred): Willmore finds the film unexpectedly rewarding, despite occasional contrivances in its script. She particularly praises Ethan Hawke’s nuanced performance and the despair he conveys through small gestures. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-lives-for-this-kind-of-role.html)
- **The AV Club**, Katarina Docalovich (B): The review finds Linklater’s portrait of Hart sharp and compelling, though it criticizes the casting of Ethan Hawke as distracting. It praises the writing’s acidic wit, even as Hawke’s height and appearance undercut some of its impact. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/blue-moon-review)
- **Slant Magazine**, Marshall Shaffer (3/4): Shaffer finds the film succeeds despite a stumble in its extended monologue, thanks to the force of Ethan Hawke’s performance. He praises Hawke’s emotional depth and the film’s willingness to trust audiences with deliberate dialogue. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-richard-linklater/)
- **The Observer**, Wendy Ide (75/100, inferred): Ide finds the film elegantly witty and melancholic, with Ethan Hawke delivering an excellent performance. She particularly praises his portrayal of Hart’s bitter, needy wit, though she notes the height-reduction techniques can feel unconvincing. [Read](https://observer.co.uk/culture/film/article/wendy-ides-pick-of-other-films-blue-moon-wake-up-dead-man-a-knives-out-mystery-and-more)
- **Radio Times**, James Mottram (70/100, inferred): The headline presents the film as a tender, positive portrait. It singles out the performances of Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott as shining. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/blue-moon-review/)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (70/100, inferred): Debruge finds the film splendid and its screenplay sparkling, despite Hawke being badly miscast. He praises the witty, richly layered writing while criticizing the distracting hairpiece and physical tricks used to transform the actor. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/blue-moon-review-rodgers-and-hart-ethan-hawke-1236311303/)
- **Screen Daily**, Lee Marshall (65/100, inferred): The available standfirst frames the film as a poignant portrait of Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. It singles out the performances of Ethan Hawke, Andrew Scott and Margaret Qualley, but the review’s fuller verdict is unavailable. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-sings-in-richard-linklater-drama/5202177.article)
- **The New York Times** (64/100, inferred): The accessible page does not reveal the critic’s verdict. It provides no praise or complaint to identify. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/movies/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke.html)
- **The Independent**, Geoffrey Macnab (3/5): Macnab finds Blue Moon a minor, stagey and increasingly claustrophobic Linklater film, despite its witty dialogue. He praises Ethan Hawke’s quirky, courageous performance, which makes the self-pitying Lorenz Hart compelling. [Read](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/blue-moon-review-linklater-ethan-hawke-b2874248.html)
- **HeyUGuys** (82/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a poignant, quietly powerful character study. Hawke’s nuanced performance is singled out for grounding Hart’s flamboyance, fragility, and loneliness. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/blue-moon-review/)
- **Collider**, Ross Bonaime (7/10): The review finds the film a tragic, engrossing showcase for Linklater and Hawke, though Hart’s long speeches can become exhausting. It especially praises Hawke’s performance and the quiet moments that reveal Hart’s loneliness. [Read](https://collider.com/blue-moon-review-ethan-hawke-richard-linklater-margaret-qualley/)
- **Eye for Film**, Amber Wilkinson (70/100, inferred): Wilkinson finds the film an engaging, melancholic character study, though some asides feel excessive. She especially praises Ethan Hawke’s portrayal of Hart’s wit and sadness. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/blue-moon-2025-film-review-by-amber-wilkinson)
- **The Wrap** (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a bittersweet, engaging portrait of a man watching his world change. They praise its nuanced characterization and unobtrusive, stagey presentation of Hart’s story. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/blue-moon-review-richard-linklater-ethan-hawke/)
- **Deadline**, Stephanie Bunbury (65/100, inferred): Bunbury finds the chamber piece compelling but an uncomfortable experience, with Hawke making Hart’s genius and neediness painfully vivid. She especially praises the evocative atmosphere of a vanishing Broadway-era New York. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/02/blue-moon-review-richard-linklater-broadway-chamber-piece-ethan-hawke-margaret-qualley-1236293587/)
- **The Skinny**, Stefania Sarrubba (★★★): The review finds Blue Moon less engaging than Linklater’s best, but still one of his finest films. It particularly praises Ethan Hawke’s textured, theatrical performance as Lorenz Hart. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/blue-moon-richard-linklater-review)

## Details

- **Director:** Richard Linklater
- **Director:** Richard Linklater
- **Writer:** Robert Kaplow
- **Cinematography:** Shane F. Kelly
- **Editor:** Sandra Adair
- **Music:** Graham Reynolds
- **Production design:** Susie Cullen
- **Costume design:** Consolata Boyle
- **Producer:** Richard Linklater, John Sloss, Mike Blizzard
- **Cast:** Ethan Hawke as Lorenz Hart; Bobby Cannavale as Eddie; Andrew Scott as Richard Rodgers; Margaret Qualley as Elizabeth Weiland; Patrick Kennedy as E.B. 'Andy' White; Jonah Lees as Morty Rifkin; Simon Delaney as Oscar Hammerstein; Giles Surridge as Sven
- **Runtime:** 1h 41m
- **First release (Germany):** 18 February 2025
- **Genres:** Music, History, Drama, Comedy
- **Also in:** [Golden Globe Best Musical or Comedy winners](https://film.one/collections/golden-globe-comedy.md) (Nominee, 2025)
- **Box office:** $4 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qo7gRHip0lI

## Where to watch in Mexico

- HBO Max: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on
- Amazon Prime Video: buy MX$149.00, sd

*Checked 2026-09-24.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IN, IT, JP, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Berlin International Film Festival 2025: Best Supporting Performance (won)

## If you liked this

- *All About Eve* (1950), Fi1m 90: More professional jealousy, with conversation sharp enough to leave lasting damage. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/all-about-eve.md)
- *The Music Room* (1958): Another proud man struggles to accept that his cultural world has changed.
- *The Dresser* (1983), Fi1m 80: For the exhausting work of keeping a difficult performer on his feet. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-dresser.md)
- *Before Sunset* (2004), Fi1m 91: Conversation carries the feeling, and the pauses matter as much as the words. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/before-sunset.md)
- *Clouds of Sils Maria* (2014): An actress confronts changing status while an unequal companionship grows increasingly complicated.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/blue-moon