Picture: Sony Pictures Classics
Ethan Hawke (Training Day) headlines the period drama that was first released in theaters last October, following a successful film festival run. The movie has been available on VOD platforms for a short window but will soon make its SVOD (streaming video on demand) debut on Netflix in the United States on February 14th.
The film is directed by Richard Linklater (Hit Man, Apollo 10 1/12: A Space Age Childhood) and written by Robert Kaplow. Hawke stars alongside Margaret Qualley (The Substance), Bobby Cannavale (The Station Agent), and Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers).
Per Sony Pictures official website, here’s what you can expect from the story:
“On the evening of March 31, 1943, legendary lyricist Lorenz Hart confronts his shattered self-confidence in Sardi’s bar as his former collaborator Richard Rodgers celebrates the opening night of his ground-breaking hit musical ‘Oklahoma!’”
It was released by the specialty distributor Sony Pictures Classics, best known for films like Call Me by Your Name, Whiplash, Midnight in Paris, Amour, and The Father.
Why is Blue Moon coming to Netflix?
Since 2022, Netflix has worked with the distributor and its parent company, owning the first window (now extended through the early 2030s). For the uninitiated, that means Netflix carries the movie for the first 18 months following its theatrical and PVOD window.
Critical Reception & Oscar Buzz
The film is a welcome addition ahead of the Oscars ceremony, where Blue Moon is up for two awards. Hawke was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, and Kaplow scored a nod for his Original Screenplay.
While heavily discussed, critics’ reviews are glowing, with the movie holding a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of publishing. Peter Bradshaw for The Guardian said, “Ethan Hawke is terrific in Richard Linklater’s bitter Broadway breakup drama… [playing] with campy brilliance the lyricist Lorenz Hart as he spirals into vinegary jilted despair.”
Elsewhere, Next Best Picture called the film “witty and fast-paced,” whereas The Hollywood Reporter praised both the lead actors, referring to their ability to mesmerize and ultimately calling the film, “beautifully executed.”
Picture: Sony Pictures Classics
It’s going to be a busy month for new SVOD debuts in February. Not only is Netflix getting a number of Universal movies within the first window, but it will also serve as the SVOD home for Trap House, starring Dave Bautista, and Vertical’s comedy movie Bunny.
Will you be checking out Blue Moon on Netflix? Let us know in the comments down below.
