danieljfarthing

2005's grimy, downbeat Los Angeles drama "Factotum" (adapted from Charles Bukowski's same-name novel by Jim Stark & director Bent Hamer) apparently wasn't intended as a sequel, prequel, or remake of 1987's "Barfly" (written by Bukowski) but as an alternative take on its central Bukowski 'alter-ego' (played by Matt Dillon in this version) through different anecdotes involving the struggling writer's various blue-collar jobs (with the likes of Fisher Stevens), bars, & fellow-alcoholic women (like Lili Taylor & Marisa Tomei). It is perfectly cast and does have the requisite seedy, grubby Bukowski feel - but when the world already has the incredible "Barfly" does it really need "Barfly"-lite?

In pretentiously intellectual drama "After The Hunt" Yale philosophy profs Julia Roberts (married to Michael Stuhlbarg) & Andrew Garfield get drawn into ambiguous ethical, moral, & legal waters by an incident involving student Ayo Edebiri (pulling in the likes of Chloë Sevigny). Rights, wrongs, & motivations are skewed & fudged - which may be debut writer Nora Hunt's point, but it doesn't make for comfortable or engaging viewing over 2hrs 18mins - especially with Roberts seeming so desperate to shed the old "Pretty Woman" stereotype that's already long gone. Director Luca Guadagnino doesn't mind sacrificing entertainment for 'art' - and this pomposity is typical of him.

Play-like true-tale drama "Blue Moon" (adapted by debut writer Robert Kaplow from letters between famed 47yr old songwriter Lorenz Hart (Ethan Hawke (great)) & college student Margaret Qualley) is set in Bobby Cannavale's bar on the 1943 opening night of 'Oklahoma' - the first musical that Hart's writing partner Dick Rodgers (Andrew Scott (terrific)) instead wrote with Oscar Hammerstein (Simon Delaney) due to Hart's alcoholism etc. As Rodgers & Hammerstein celebrate their hit, the talkative Hart stews, plays nice, yearns for Qualley, and drowns in bourbon. Props to director Richard Linklater for eliciting top drawer performances in such a warm yet melancholic movie.