'State of Play' review

Finally: A cops-and-reporters thriller that actually feels up to date

By Matt Pais

Posted April 16, 2009

Metromix

A young congressional researcher is dead. This means trouble for married congressman Collins (Ben Affleck)—who was sleeping with the deceased—and a big story for newspaper reporter/Collins’ old college roommate Cal (Russell Crowe), who sees a connection between his pal, his mistress and a ruthless company earning $40 billion annually by privatizing homeland security. Co-starring a delightfully feisty Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn and Jeff Daniels.

The buzz: Following “Body of Lies” (and 2000’s “Proof of Life”), Crowe is now the official mascot for “___ of ___” movies. Adapted by director Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland”) from an acclaimed BBC miniseries, "State" looks like a winner thanks to an aces cast and expert “Duplicity” screenwriter Tony Gilroy, working with Matthew Michael Carnahan (“The Kingdom”) and Billy Ray (“Breach”).

The verdict: Disguising itself as an ordinary conspiracy thriller, "State of Play" opens up to something much more interesting—not about nailing the bad guys but about the difference between cops and the press, friends and sources, a case and a story. There are plenty of genre conventions, from the requisite red herrings to a mysterious killer slinking behind the scenes. But the presentation of the newsroom and the struggling modern newspaper feels fresh and clued into the challenge of realistically covering today’s world. In “State of Play” there are no heroes and villains; just people who act in their own self-interest and people who don’t, and only some who can be trusted to look out for the public.

Did you know? A sleazy PR guy (Jason Bateman, welcome comic relief) defends his enjoyment of orgies by saying, "I don't want to leave anybody out." Monogamy is so selfish!