State of Play

[Brian in Mesa]

State of Play

Release Date: April 17, 2009
Studio: Universal Pictures
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Screenwriter: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray
Genre: Thriller
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Website: StateofPlaymovie.net

Starring: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Helen Mirren

Plot Summary: Oscar® winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in an case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McAffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures in "State of Play," from acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald ("The Last King of Scotland").

Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

McAffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron (Oscar® winner Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer's identity, McAffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation's power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one's integrity, love or life is ever safe.

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[Shane]

Enjoyed it very much! Russel Crowe is his solid self and good performances all the way around. LOVE Rachael McAdams too!

 

[Gaddabout]

This could have been a good movie if they hadn't used the glorified newsroom again. No editor or publisher in my life has ever said the things she said. No news editor I've ever known gives a hoot about how many papers they sell. It's usually advertising freaking out over that and they always lose out.

They should have taken a cue from The Wire to get inside what a real newsroom looks and feels like.

 

[Shane]

This could have been a good movie if they hadn't used the glorified newsroom again. No editor or publisher in my life has ever said the things she said. No news editor I've ever known gives a hoot about how many papers they sell. It's usually advertising freaking out over that and they always lose out.

They should have taken a cue from The Wire to get inside what a real newsroom looks and feels like.

No offense gaddabout But it's just a movie. Its geared for entertainment. Which I'm sure you know. 98% of the population has no clue what it's like in a real newsroom nor do they care.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

No offense gaddabout But it's just a movie. Its geared for entertainment. Which I'm sure you know. 98% of the population has no clue what it's like in a real newsroom nor do they care.

It's a legitimate complaint. Gad's speaking from experience just as if you saw a film with a poor portrayal of a police station.

Why not get it right?

 

[Shane]

It's a legitimate complaint. Gad's speaking from experience just as if you saw a film with a poor portrayal of a police station.

Why not get it right?

Movies are fantasy land and entertainment. 98% of the public has no clue what it's like to be a cop either. Good luck trying to find me one single cop movie that is truely realistic. They just don't exist. Nobody would watch the movies if they did. This wasn't some based on a true story cinematic event. No reeal need to Make it authentic for the 98% of people that have no clue and don't really care.

Im not saying that gaddabouts opinion is wrong. Based on his experience his is absolutely entitled to it. I'm just saying that most people won't know or care about realism in a newsroom.

 

[Gaddabout]

No offense gaddabout But it's just a movie. Its geared for entertainment. Which I'm sure you know. 98% of the population has no clue what it's like in a real newsroom nor do they care.

I understand and that's fine. It's entertainment. It's just not Oscar material for me (how it was sold to me). As long as people are OK with a newsroom being portrayed as accurately as Mel Gibson portrayed a cop in Lethal Weapon or Eddie Murphy portrayed a detective in Beverly Hills Cop.

It wasn't The Paper Chase.

 

[UncleChris]

Enjoyed it very much! Russel Crowe is his solid self and good performances all the way around. LOVE Rachael McAdams too!

Glad we're back on track, sir! I absolutely agree with you.


And good luck finding a movie that accurately portrays fire fighters... or JFK... or Gandhi.... or fighter pilots... or foster parents... or spies... or sharks... or whatever!!! C'mon, Gads, et al.... if it's remotely close and entertaining, then that's the way it is (and sometimes remotely close isn't much of a factor, either. )

Not an Oscar winner, but still very good. Lotsa twists and turns and some excellent acting along with it. 4 out of 5 stars from UC....

 

[O]

I just saw this movie and thought it was great, very entertaining.

 

[Mulli]

Enjoyed it very much! Russel Crowe is his solid self and good performances all the way around. LOVE Rachael McAdams too!

Crowe carried this movie. Everyone else was just okay. It was a decent watch on a ten hour plain flight.

Jason Bateman was awesome!

 

[Pariah]

Jason Bateman was awesome!

Jason Bateman is always awesome. Even in Valarie and Teen Wolf Too. Bateman is possibly the most underrated comedic actor of all time. JMHO

(haven't seen state of play to know if he was comic relief or not, though)

 

[Bada0Bing]

Jason Bateman is always awesome. Even in Valarie and Teen Wolf Too. Bateman is possibly the most underrated comedic actor of all time. JMHO

(haven't seen state of play to know if he was comic relief or not, though)

Wow. I can't believe you said that Pariah. Teen Wolf Too is currently sitting as my worst ranked movie of all time.

I don't necessarily blame him for the movie though. I think he has bounced back just fine and I've enjoyed his recent performances. But TW2 was terribly painful.

 

[Bada0Bing]

Ha, I recently watched this and planned on posting about how much I liked bateman in this. I had completely forgotten about these posts. Im not a huge fan of the thriller genre but I thoight this was pretty good. Had me fooled a couple times.

 

[Pariah]

I'd forgotten about these posts, too.

As for Teen Wolf Too, I wasn't saying it was a good movie, I was saying Bateman was charming/funny in it despite the horribleness of the film.