STATE OF PLAY
FILM REVIEW
STATE OF PLAY (12A)
Della Frye: Did we just break the law?
Cal McAffrey: Nope. That’s what you call damn fine reporting.
State of Play is an Americanised version of a BBCtv thriller serial. I have no idea how it compares to the original as I’ve never seen it. What we have is a decent thriller in which a seasoned Washington journalist and an ambitious junior writer uncover a conspiracy involving the reporters old college pal, an up-and-coming Congressman who is beginning to make a name for himself.
When a petty thief and a passing cyclist are gunned down in an alleyway and a Congressman’s assistant falls in front of a subway train nobody sees any connection between these seemingly unrelated deaths. The brash newspaper reporter Cal McAffrey (Russel Crowe) spies a conspiracy waiting to be uncovered.
McAffrey has had an illicit relationship with Congressman Stephen Collins’ (Ben Affleck) wife, Anne (Robin Wight Pemberton) which complicates his attempts to find out the truth behind his suspicions. At first he is irritated by an ambitious young rookie writer Della Frye, (Rachel McAdams) but as he works with her he begins to trust her with more details of his case. McAffrey and Frye begin to uncover clues that lead them to a corporate cover-up full of insiders, informants, and assassins.
Some of the story doesn’t ring true. I doubt if any real newspaper editor would sit on her hands with nothing to run on the front page should her star reporter fail to come up with the goods but that’s what Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren) does in this movie. That’s a minor flaw, though in this thriller. Brad Pitt is reported to have walked away from State of Play as he didn’t like the script. I think he made a big mistake as it is a cracking story with lots of action and satisfying twists. That was his loss and Ben Affleck’s gain.
Affleck is convincing as the rising, smooth politician who starts to fall apart when his mistress falls under a train and he becomes the focus of hostile media attention. This one may get overshadowed by some of the blockbusters due for release in the next few weeks but it’s well worth seeing. If you can’t get into a showing of Star Trek and don’t want to go home you could do much worse. Give it a go. You won’t be sorry.
Directed by Kevin MacDonald
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 127 minutes
STATE OF PLAY (12A)
Della Frye: Did we just break the law?
Cal McAffrey: Nope. That’s what you call damn fine reporting.
State of Play is an Americanised version of a BBCtv thriller serial. I have no idea how it compares to the original as I’ve never seen it. What we have is a decent thriller in which a seasoned Washington journalist and an ambitious junior writer uncover a conspiracy involving the reporters old college pal, an up-and-coming Congressman who is beginning to make a name for himself.
When a petty thief and a passing cyclist are gunned down in an alleyway and a Congressman’s assistant falls in front of a subway train nobody sees any connection between these seemingly unrelated deaths. The brash newspaper reporter Cal McAffrey (Russel Crowe) spies a conspiracy waiting to be uncovered.
McAffrey has had an illicit relationship with Congressman Stephen Collins’ (Ben Affleck) wife, Anne (Robin Wight Pemberton) which complicates his attempts to find out the truth behind his suspicions. At first he is irritated by an ambitious young rookie writer Della Frye, (Rachel McAdams) but as he works with her he begins to trust her with more details of his case. McAffrey and Frye begin to uncover clues that lead them to a corporate cover-up full of insiders, informants, and assassins.
Some of the story doesn’t ring true. I doubt if any real newspaper editor would sit on her hands with nothing to run on the front page should her star reporter fail to come up with the goods but that’s what Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren) does in this movie. That’s a minor flaw, though in this thriller. Brad Pitt is reported to have walked away from State of Play as he didn’t like the script. I think he made a big mistake as it is a cracking story with lots of action and satisfying twists. That was his loss and Ben Affleck’s gain.
Affleck is convincing as the rising, smooth politician who starts to fall apart when his mistress falls under a train and he becomes the focus of hostile media attention. This one may get overshadowed by some of the blockbusters due for release in the next few weeks but it’s well worth seeing. If you can’t get into a showing of Star Trek and don’t want to go home you could do much worse. Give it a go. You won’t be sorry.
Directed by Kevin MacDonald
Certificate: 12A
Running time: 127 minutes
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