The Hottest State

VENICE, Italy -- If actor-writer-director Ethan Hawke spent more time watching television he might discover that his tale of a 20-year-old man learning about love, "The Hottest State," has been covered with deeper understanding and far greater wit in just about everything from "Dawson's Creek" to "The O.C."

Lacking depth or anything that's actually funny or sad, and with lead performers who are given more responsibility for the success of the film than they can handle, the film will be a tough sell.

The film is based on Hawke's semi-autobiographical novel about a young man from Texas named William (Mark Webber), who moves to New York and breaks into acting with some success. Lucky and confident, he falls head over heels for a beautiful musician named Sara (Catalina Sandino Moreno). She has her own ambitions, though, and doesn't fall so hard for him. Gosh.

William anguishes over this state of affairs and also gets antsy about the fact that he hasn't heard from his dad, Vince (Hawke), in quite a while. His mum Jesse (Laura Linney) seems to have more patience for his adolescent whining than he deserves. He also has an indulgent ex-girlfriend named Samantha (Michelle Williams), who you'd think might take his mind off things.

Hawke begins with a scene in which William's mother meets his father and those characters appear to be interesting, but there's a quick cut to the young actor making his way in the big city.

Webber and Moreno are appealing young actors, but are unable to carry a picture that demands sparkling performers and chemistry to overcome lame dialogue and inert scenes.

Linney brings a touch of class to the proceedings in a few brief scenes. Hawke does a workmanlike job as the distant father.

The whole thing smacks of self-indulgence though with scene after scene of William going through the kind of witless mooning for his beloved that involves entreaties, apologies, endless messages on answering machines and the occasional smashed phone.

The saccharine song score by Jesse Harris doesn't help either, even though it features great voices including Willie Nelson and Emmylou Harris.

THE HOTTEST STATE
A Barracuda Films and Elixir Films production of an Under the Influence film presented by Entertainment Farm

Credits:
Writer, director: Ethan Hawke
Producers: Yukie Kito, Alexis Alexanian
Executive producers: Yasushi Kotani, Taiso Son
Director of cinematography: Christopher Norr
Production designer: Rick Butler
Music: Jesse Harris
Editor: Adriana Pachecho Rincon
Cast:
William Harding: Mark Webber
Sara Garcia: Catalina Sandino Moreno
Samantha: Michelle Williams
Mrs. Garcia: Sonia Braga
Jesse: Laura Linney
Vince: Ethan Hawke
Decker: Josh Zuckerman
Dave Alton: Jesse Harris
Kim: Alexandra Daddorio
Young Vince: Daniel Ross
Young Jesse: Anne Clarke
Danielle: Cherami Leigh
No MPAA rating
Running time -- 117 minutes