Celebrities are a big part of the film industry and the award industry as well, whether it is in the USA’s Academy Awards or France’s Cannes Film Festival. One may think of Tom Cruise opening the prestigious two week-long event with his major blockbuster sequel of Top Gun, or French celebrities walking the red carpet to see their films, like Marion Cotillard (Brother and Sister) and Omar Sy (Tirailleurs). However, the focal point that truly demonstrates the importance of celebrity status at the prestigious festival falls upon a lesser-known screening from a famous actor, now filmmaker, Ethan Hawke.
Ethan Hawke stepped on stage in the Salles Agnes Varda to present his new TV series titled: The Last Movie Stars. With a lot of enthusiasm, Hawke provided a brief overview of what his latest project covers and spread his excitement among the audience, who eagerly awaited to watch the “juicy” bit (according to Hawke) from the series. The two episodes (out of six) Hawke chose to present, as part of the Cannes Classics selection, focuses on the life of Paul Newman. Unfortunately, the episodes did not meet the expectations its director had set during his charismatic introduction.
The documentary carries no emotional weight, refreshing nor inspiring storytelling, but there are Zoom meetings with A-list actors and directors in Hollywood, who sometimes nod at Hawke’s observations or share three seconds of commentary. Hawke tells the story of Newman in an unrelatable way and depends on celebrities, like Sally Field, Martin Scorsese, Sam Rockwell (to name a few) to carry a lot of the “quality” weight. It is impressive to see so many stars on Zoom, having a casual conversation about Newman. However, these meetings do not add emotional depth, nor do they offer insight into Newman’s legacy.
The best way I can describe the “juicy bit” from The Last Movie Stars resembles the feeling of using a stationary bicycle that does not advance. One can exercise (as Hawke tries to practice his creative, documentary skills) but essentially does not lead to a better scenery. I want to know: what was so great about Paul Newman? What were his struggles? What makes him a hero in a hero’s journey?
Another documentary premiering at Cannes this May was Brett Morgen’s Moonage Daydream about David Bowie, which can be compared to Hawke’s documentary work. While both filmmakers truly showed admiration for their subjects in their films, Morgen’s piece revealed Bowie’s legacy through an explosion of colors and sounds, all aligned with Bowie’s aesthetic. Morgan proved to be fiercely loyal to the singer through his bold, non-mainstream and innovative non-fiction narrative style. Hawke, on the other hand, exposed his limitations as a filmmaker when relying on Hollywood friends, connections with Paul Newman’s family members, and the use of Zoom.