One night, one bar, and one brilliant mind realising the party has moved on without him. Richard Linklater turns Broadway sparkle into something sharper, funnier, and quietly devastating.
Film details
- Title: Blue moon
- Premiere date: 15 January 2026
- Director: Richard Linklater
- Runtime: 100 minutes
- Language & subtitles: English spoken, Dutch subtitled
- Age rating: 12
- Where to watch in Rotterdam:
Plot in 100 words (ish):
On 31 March 1943, the opening-night celebrations for Oklahoma! are in full swing. In the middle of the champagne and back-slaps, lyricist Lorenz Hart watches the world cheer for the new era of musical theatre, and for his former writing partner, Richard Rodgers. Over the course of a single night, Hart tries to talk, charm, perform, and drink his way through a private crisis, while old friendships and new realities collide. It is a tight, dialogue-driven portrait of talent, ego, love, and the moment you sense your name might be slipping off the marquee.
What’s the vibe?
A classy period chamber piece with a wicked sense of humour, like being stuck at a glamorous party where the music is great, but the conversation keeps landing too close to home. Expect fast, intelligent dialogue, a bar-room pressure-cooker setting, and performances that feel both theatrical and painfully human.
Trailer
Check out the trailer below.
Why you might like it
- Eyes: A beautifully controlled, intimate look that finds drama in glances, posture, and a crowded room that suddenly feels very lonely.
- Heart: It understands the grief of being left behind, without turning its lead into a saint.
- Mind: A sharp riff on art, reputation, and the strange cruelty of “what’s next?” when your best work is already behind you.
Critical reception
Critics have been very kind to Blue moon, praising Ethan Hawke’s performance and Linklater’s ability to keep a talky, stage-bound setup gripping. Rotten Tomatoes lists a 90% Tomatometer (212 reviews) and a 77% audience score (100+ verified ratings).
On Metacritic, it sits at a 78/100, which points to broadly strong reviews, especially for its writing, rhythm, and the way it balances bite with melancholy.
Awards-wise, it played in competition at the 75th Berlinale, where Andrew Scott won the Silver Bear for best supporting performance for his portrayal of Richard Rodgers.
Scene to watch for
Keep an eye on the moments where the party noise falls away and Hart is left with just one person across the room, and too many words still loaded in the chamber. It is Linklater doing tension without shouting, and Hawke doing heartbreak without begging for your sympathy.
Recommended pairing
- Food: Something old-school and comforting before you go, like a warm slice of pie, or a salty snack you can eat with your hands.
- Activity: A short post-film night walk through the city centre with a playlist of classic standards, just to let the dialogue echo a bit longer.
Need-to-knows
- This is largely a one-location, one-night story, so it’s very dialogue-forward. If you love chatty character dramas, you’ll be in heaven; if you want action beats, you may feel like you ordered espresso and got sparkling water.
- It’s rooted in Broadway history, but you do not need to know musical theatre trivia to follow it. The emotions are the point, the references are the seasoning.
- If you like the Linklater and Hawke collaborations, this one continues that long-running creative partnership, with Hawke in full “hold the room” mode.
