REEL CRITIC -- Susanne Perez

Imagine living in a town so small, the biggest news is the new traffic

light. That is, until a major studio film crew arrives to shoot a movie

called “The Old Mill.”

Such is the premise for “State and Main,” writer/director/playwright

David Mamet’s gentlest, most lighthearted film to date. Mamet gives his

outstanding ensemble of actors (William H. Macy, Rebecca Pigeon, Ricky

Jay, Alec Baldwin, David Paymer) juicy one-liners and an eclectic plot

that spoofs politicians and Hollywood alike, reminding me of both “Wag

the Dog” and the TV show “Northern Exposure.”

The film crew, which had to leave its New Hampshire location under

mysterious circumstances, is drawn to the town of Waterford, Vt.,

specifically for its picturesque 19th century mill.

Director Walt Price (Macy) is immediately thrown into a tizzy when he

learns the mill burned down in the ‘60s.

His screenwriter has lost his typewriter and now has only a few days

before shooting begins to rewrite this seriously over-budget movie. One

of the stars (Baldwin) has a thing for underage girls (“Everybody needs a

hobby”). And, the not-so-dumb female lead (Sarah Jessica Parker) suddenly

refuses to do the topless scene she was hired to do.

When the mayor (Charles Durning) invites the director and actors to

his home for dinner, his social-climbing wife (Patti LuPone) goes into a

frenzy of remodeling and redecorating, with disastrous results.

In the midst of this hurricane is the naive screenwriter, Joseph White

(Philip Seymour Hoffman), looking like a lost puppy and at a loss on how

to fix the script until he meets a kindred spirit in Ann Black (Pigeon).

Ann is meant to be the moral and emotional center of the film, as well as

Joseph’s love interest.

Ironically, this is the most boring part of the movie because of the

lack of chemistry between Hoffman and Pigeon. Pigeon (Mamet’s real-life

wife) is miscast and her robotic delivery seems out of sync with the

others’ fast and loose style. However, she does get off the best line.

I loved all the ridiculous little details of this movie: two locals in

the coffee shop who suddenly start reading Variety over breakfast, the

production assistant wearing a T-shirt reading, “Does there have to be an

old mill?,” the matching plaid outfits sported by Durning and LuPone, and

the crew funneling tap water and resealing Evian bottles for an

unsuspecting cast.

Best of all was the filming of the final seen of “The Old Mill,” in

all its glossy Hollywood glory, complete with an absurd product placement

but without the nudity that would have made it even more hilarious.

Even if you’re not a Mamet fan, I would bet you would enjoy “State and

Main “ -- be sure to stick around until the end of the credits.

o7 “State and Main” is rated R for language and brief sexual images.

f7 * SUSANNE PEREZ, 45, lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive

assistant for a financial services company.