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State and Main

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State and Main
Promotional poster
Directed byDavid Mamet
Written byDavid Mamet
Produced bySarah Green
Starring
CinematographyOliver Stapleton
Edited byBarbara Tulliver
Music byTheodore Shapiro
Production
companies
  • Filmtown Entertainment
  • Green/Renzi
  • El Dorado Pictures
Distributed byFine Line Features
Release dates
  • August 26, 2000 (2000-08-26) (Canada)
  • December 22, 2000 (2000-12-22) (United States)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$9.2 million[1]

State and Main is a 2000 American comedy film written and directed by David Mamet and starring William H. Macy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alec Baldwin, Julia Stiles, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rebecca Pidgeon, David Paymer, Patti LuPone, Clark Gregg, and Charles Durning.

Plot

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Havoc is wrought on the inhabitants of a small New England town by a troubled film production. After the leading man's penchant for underage girls gets them banished from their New Hampshire location, the crew moves to the small town of Waterford, Vermont to finish shooting The Old Mill.

As its title suggests, the film depends on the presence of a genuine mill, something the town is reported to possess. Unfortunately, with only days before principal photography begins, it becomes apparent that the mill in fact burned down decades ago. Unfazed, the film's director, Walt Price (William H. Macy), places his faith in the ability of first-time screenwriter Joseph Turner White (Philip Seymour Hoffman) to alter the script. What he doesn't count on is White's apparently bottomless reserve of angst-fueled writer's block. A local bookseller, Annie Black (Rebecca Pidgeon), tries to provide White with inspiration.

The film's leading lady (Sarah Jessica Parker) refuses to do her contracted nude scene unless she's paid an additional $800,000, while the foreign cinematographer offends the locals by messing with a historic firehouse. Meanwhile, the leading man, Bob Barrenger (Alec Baldwin), dallies with Carla (Julia Stiles), a crafty local teen.

Everything comes to a head after Barrenger and Carla are injured in a car accident, which leads White (the only witness) to another emotional quandary and into the arms of Annie. Meanwhile, a powerful movie producer (David Paymer) comes to town to help Price with the ensuing mess.

Cast

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Production

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The plot involves the on-location production in Waterford, Vermont, of a film called The Old Mill. The actual film was shot in Massachusetts in Manchester-by-the-Sea, Beverly, Dedham[2] and Waltham.

Reception

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On Rotten Tomatoes, it has a 85% approval rating based on 118 reviews, with an average score of 7.3/10. The website's critics consensus reads "State and Main offers plenty of wit and laughs in its lampoons of the movie industry."

Awards

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Notes

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  1. ^ "State and Main (2000) – Box Office Mojo". boxofficemojo.com. Retrieved 4 August 2024.
  2. ^ Coleman, Sandy (2005-05-12). "Historic mansion opens doors in gala celebration of 100 years". Boston Globe. Retrieved 2006-12-26.
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