RSS
Home
DVD Review- State of Play (2009)
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck discuss hair products in State of Play.
Some big name celebrities have a tendency to rub people the wrong way. This tends to happen with entertainers who reach a meteoric level of popularity, often the public turns on them and awaits their eventual downfall. The 2009 thriller State of Play has the misfortune to have not one but two such Hollywood heavyweights, Russell Crowe (who, truth be told, irks this reviewer) and Ben Affleck. Does State of Play succeed in spite of or because of these two hot shot headliners, or is the film as generic as its title?
State of Play is based on a 2003 six-part BBC television mini-series. This Americanized version takes place in Washington DC and stars Crowe as Cal McAffrey, a big name journalist for the fictional Washington Globe. He's shaggy-haired and bearded, he even refers to whiskey as "Irish wine" (heh, heh). He's the type of reporter who fears that newspapers will soon be a thing of the past and is short with the Globe's new online blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams; Wedding Crashers, Red Eye) when she seeks his advice. The film opens with a shooting resulting in one man dead and a critically injured witness. McAffrey comes across the crime scene on his way to work and starts pumping the officers for information.
We also meet Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), a respected politician who is leading an investigation into the Defense Department outsourcing to the mysterious Pointcorp operation. Collins is shocked to learn that his lead researcher, a pretty young woman named Sonia Baker, has died in what has been deemed as either an accident or suicide at a subway station. Almost immediately, allegations of Collins having an extramarital affair with the deceased aide surface. It is then revealed that Collins and McAffrey were college roommates and are still friends. Collins approaches McAffrey with evidence he believes proves that Baker was far from a suicidal state; Collins thinks that she was murdered. McAffrey, along with assistance from the plucky Frye, starts investigating Baker's death. Soon enough, McAffrey discovers a link between Sonia Baker and the two men who were shot at the beginning of the film. What follows is an investigation that turns up dubious informants, secret motivations, past dalliances, government intrigue, and a few more dead bodies.
While State of Play is no great movie, it is actually a pretty good one. Russell Crowe, who this reviewer feels has a tendency to overact, actually underplays his character to the benefit of the film. While Cal McAffrey is the focal point, the movie wisely does not make him invincible or overly heroic. McAffrey does some real investigative work and relies on the help of other characters. Ben Affleck does a good job also as a politician whose world is on the precipice of falling apart, and has some great scenes where the pressure of this overtakes him. State of Play also benefits from showcasing some great supporting actors. McAdams is highly likable as the resourceful Della Frye, and the movie wisely avoids any romantic subplots involving McAffrey. Helen Mirren (The Queen, Gosford Park) is excellent as Cameron Lynne, the ruthless and foul-mouthed editor of the Washington Globe. Jason Bateman (Arrested Development, Juno) also puts in a great role as the slimy Dominic Foy, a promoter who supplies some very important information late in the film.
It's not surprising that State of Play was adapted from a TV series, as the movie unfolds like a television movie or program. The film is much more focused on its plot than its characters. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it does keep from fully fleshing out the key players and makes the supporting roles seem more functional than anything else. State of Play is also noticeably light on action, with one such set piece in a hospital being very well staged and another in a parking garage coming off as silly. The movie also sags quite a bit in the midsection, but then the final third saves the film by containing a few clever twists. State of Play is recommended for those who like their thrillers political, brimming with characters who have secret pasts and malicious agendas. Fans of John Grisham and those C.S.I. shows will likely have a very good time. And this reviewer may finally be over his bias against Rusell Crowe. Maybe now is the time to finally watch Cinderella Man or Master and Commander.
DVD features include deleted scenes and the featurette "The Making of State of Play." Also available on Blu-Ray.
For more information: State of Play
Rent it from Netflix: State of Play
Related Articles:
Comments
