 David Mamet 's comedy State and Main , about the difficulties of shooting a film in rural New England , was Hoffman 's first film role of 2000 and had a limited release . He had a more prominent supporting role that year in Almost Famous , Cameron Crowe 's popular coming @-@ of @-@ age film set around the 1970s music industry . Hoffman portrayed the enthusiastic rock critic Lester Bangs , a task that he felt burdened by , but he managed to convey the real figure 's mannerisms and sharp wit after watching him in a BBC interview . The following year , Hoffman featured as the narrator and interviewer in The Party 's Over , a documentary about the 2000 U.S. elections . He assumed the position of a " politically informed and alienated Generation @-@ <unk> " who seeks to be educated in U.S. politics , but ultimately reveals the extent of public dissatisfaction in this area . 
