Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast, including Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams & Helen Mirren in the blistering thriller about deception, manipulation and corruption. When D.C. Reporter Cal McCaffrey (Crowe) is assigned to investigate the murder of an assistant to an up-and-coming politician (Affleck), he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to bring down the nation’s power structures. In a town of spin-doctors and wealthy power brokers, he will discover one truth: when fortunes are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is safe. From director Kevin Macdonald of The Last King of Scotland, State of Play brings together gripping performances, riveting suspense and is “sophisticated, intelligent and powerful” (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV).The superlative British miniseries becomes a smart, soap opera-free film courtesy of The Last King of Scotland‘s Kevin Macdonald. His writers, including Tony Gilroy (the Bourne series) and Billy Ray (Breach), haven’t simply condensed and Americanized the six-hour series–they’ve reinvented it. Now set in Washington D.C., veteran journalist Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe, replacing Brad Pitt, who dropped out over script changes) still collaborates with editor Cameron Lynne (a delectably imperious Helen Mirren) and junior reporter Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) on a story involving Cal’s politico pal, Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), but there’s a new subtext behind their plunge into sex scandals and corporate malfeasance, since this State of Play also eulogizes old-school beat reporting, and in interviews, Macdonald has acknowledged the influence of newsprint classics like All the President’s Men (the Watergate Hotel even shows up as a location). So, while Cal and Della, the Globe’s blogger, try to determine whether the congressman’s aide Sonia (with whom he was having an affair) died at her own hands or the hands of another, they’re also fighting for their careers and the survival of their ailing paper. Stephen’s political rival Senator Fergus (Jeff Daniels), does his best to stymie their efforts, but PR flack Dominic Foy (Jason Bateman) becomes a reluctant ally. Though fans of the series may miss a few characters, like Cameron’s son (played by James McAvoy in the BBC version), Oscar-winning documentarian-turned-filmmaker Macdonald remains true to its spirit. Be sure to stay through the poignant end credits, during which he returns to his doc roots. –Kathleen C. Fennessy
Stills from State of Play (Click for larger image)
 |
 |
 |
Buy “State of Play” For Only $9.09
April 19, 2008
#1
I have not seen the UK series. 3.5 stars.
You won’t walk away saying this is a great film..it get’s jumbled along the way.
We don’t really care about anyone except maybe..Rachel McAdams (I have a crush on her..she’s Canadian). Helen Miran’s character is most unforgetable.
April 19, 2008
#2
Private military firms (“PMF”) are a great way for liberals to channel their aversion to the military. In reality, PMFs survive more scrutiny and hold their employees to higher standards than the regular military due to the consequences of minor mistakes (Executive Outcomes/Sandline) and they do a large amount of good that will never be noticed. The cheapest and most effective way to clean-up Darfur would be through the use of PMFs. They could end genocide tomorrow.
I was laughing during the inquisition of the PMF CEO by Collins. “He exploits the lives of ex-military for his own financial gain” (paraphrasing). What a crock! Those in the military have higher odds of killing themselves driving a motorcycle while off-duty stateside than PMF employees guarding crown princes in the sandbox. Also, I wouldn’t call it exploitation when they are being paid over $200,000/year.
I tried to make the switch from the USMC to Blackwater after returning from Iraq and being discharged. With my service record, I thought they would love to have me – I never even got a call back. They were too busy putting ex-special forces through their grueling indoctrination program.
The regular military players in the movie, Collins and, especially, Bingham, are portrayed as crazy. Did they really need to go through the “suit up in boots and utes (not the normal assassin garb)/load the m-4 (not the appropriate assassin weapon)/get yourself killed montage?” Not all ex-military have PTSD – in my opinion, the number claiming PTSD is highly inflated because it is a quick and easy way to get a medicinal marijuana card in many states.
This movie was offensive and misleading to the public. Left-wing fiction of the worst kind.
April 19, 2008
#3
All I could say is that this was one of the most boring movies ever.
April 20, 2008
#4
The BBC’s mini series, State of Play, on which the American version was, well, sort of, based, is so far superior, it paralyzes the mind. With so many fine actors in the U.S. version, how the director, Kevin MacDonald, managed to get such sorry performances is beyond belief.
One thing this 2009 movie (ever wonder why it’s already on DVD and Pay TV?) has that’s useful: It will put an insomniac to sleep in ten minutes.
On the other hand, the BBC version is exciting, taut, suspenseful, and the casting is superb, with Bill Nigh in the original role of newspaper editor (given to Helen Mirren in the American version. For once, she is not perfect).
Trust me and spend the extra few bucks to buy the BBC version on Amazon.com.
April 20, 2008
#5
This has all the promises of a great flick.
The plot is taut, relevant, and suspenseful. We know the company the film really refers to.
There’s also great cast. Hard to go wrong, but it did.
You would have thought that with all the sophisticated test screening, market research … etc. to protect their investments, the people who made this film could come up a with a better ending comparable to something like Michael Clayton. But they didn’t.
Either the research company the producers hired was testing the film at a wrong audience, or the real event this film is based on has still not fully run its course.
One way or the other, the producers should fire the market research company that tells them the film will do well.
Hope they can correct this if ever there’s going to be a director’s cut.