The Ideal Thriller

Author: blahblahblah12345 from United States
18 April 2009
 

So I gave this movie a 10, but that's coming from a thriller fan. With most thrillers, this movie has it's faults. Some exaggeration, implausibilities, annoying twists, but the film transcends other thrillers on all other levels. Even with the overly dramatic plot and scenarios, I felt this film was a very realistic portrayal of journalism and posed an interesting argument between old fashioned print journalism and the new age of the internet. Of course, for the "thrills" they'll have to make some cliché twists, but it goes beyond the generic nonsense thriller to making a mild statement about the media today. In addition, the cast was fantastic. I couldn't be more relieved that Russell Crowe took over Brad Pitt's role, Pitt would have been a terrible choice. Russell was a much better fit for Cal. However, I kind of wish Edward Norton remained with the role of Senator Collins... Affleck and Crowe didn't have the greatest chemistry. However the many supporting players were fantastic. Rachel McAdams did a fine job. Not exactly the meatiest role but she played the revised role of Della as a young popular blogger greatly. Rachel brought that playful naivety but at the same time made Della intelligent and respectable. Helen Mirren was perfect, and perhaps a little underused. There is also a plethora of strong performances from the minor supporting players. Jason Bateman gave my favorite performance out of all of them, Harry Lennix was another who was underutilized, and Robin Wright Penn continues her reputation as one of the most consistent supporting actresses.

But as a thriller, it really was a fantastic and entertaining movie. I've never seen the BBC series and could only imagine how much better it could be with more time to develop characters and stories, but the film does the best it could and that's enough. It isn't your typical mindless thriller though, which is what I respect about it most. It is paced well but if you don't pay attention you may get lost, but seeing as the film really does keep you on your toes, it shouldn't be that hard. What makes this thriller so much better though is that it makes you think, even after leaving the theater. It isn't just some formulaic story with mindless twists and turns, it's actually saying something about the world today that is very relevant, which not only makes a great thriller, but a great film as well.

I've read some complaints about the ending, but I don't understand what the big deal was. I don't want to give anything away, but I think it's an ending that could be taken in different ways depending on the viewer.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:

At All Costs, Find the Truth

Author: gradyharp from United States
17 February 2010

It is so refreshing to see a 'suspense thriller' genre film that does not star building explosions and car chases as the main characters. STATE OF PLAY demands that the audience stay tuned in throughout this fine plot, so nimble are its twists and turns that it is easy to get lost unless focus is maintained. Matthew Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, and Billy Ray have adapted the television series by Paul Abbott, handed it over to Director Kevin Macdonald who in turn has placed this dazzling story in the capable hands of some terrific actors and the result is a film that is tightly woven and beautifully executed entertainment.

There are many levels to the story - the dwindling impact of the printed American newspapers that are succumbing to the immediacy of the Internet, the demise of investigative journalism and the rise of 'hot stories' for the sake of selling newspapers as opposed to informing the public of important issues, the deep seated corruption in the government and the extent to which the government will go to cover up important yet politically delicate issues, and the loss of reporters who have a drive to investigate until the truth is uncovered.

Russell Crowe, far too fat and grungy for a healthy actor, is the reporter bent on finding the truth, Helen Mirren is the desperately driven editor at the threat of losing her job for lack of Inquirer-like stories to sell her paper, Rachel McAdams is the bright young but inexperienced reporter who learns the game from Crowe, Crowe's best friend Ben Affleck is the Congressman at the center of the latest governmental mess, Robin Wright Penn is Affleck's wife and Crowe's lover, and the plot twists and turns on the murder of an aide to Affleck who is not what she seemed to be. But then none of the government types (Jeff Daniels), PR people (Jason Bateman), or others involved in the plot are clean. The plot is well outlined by others but it would be unfair to go without commenting on the excellence of the cameos by Viola Davis as a pathologist, David Harbour as an informer, Henry Lennix as the detective, and Michael Berresse (best known as a Broadway musical comedy star) as the terrifying hit man. Without depending on CGI effects, this is simply a stunning drama where the terror and thrills come from the performances by the actors (this may be Russell Crowe's finest role to date!). A film for thinking adults.

Grady Harp

6 out of 11 people found the following review useful:

Grand and exhilarating! Brilliant acting, including Ben Affleck's big "comeback" role.

Author: bopdog from Was UK Now US
18 April 2009

Thrillers have required paces and plots--- this one is not different in that respect. It does, however, unfold its plot effortlessly, seamlessly, and beautifully. I was excited, and held in complete suspense throughout. This is a masterpiece within its genre, and a bit outside its genre as well.

First, let me congratulate Ben Affleck for finally returning to the promise he showed early in his career, before he was sidetracked by all that red-carpet "paparazzi-chasing" garbage. His acting in the film was truly stellar. Solid, mature, excellent work! Russell Crow was also a continuing wonder. Years ago, in his Gladiator days, he was a bit obnoxious, one might feel. But ever since, we have seen a man of great depth and substance revealing himself AND the essence of many characters for our edification, not to mention, of course, our entertainment. I must say I am again amazed. Crowe gets better and better with each film he makes. His performance here is a sheer joy to behold! Helen Mirren was eerily grand as the newspaper editor. Neither hero nor villain, and never grand-standing or chewing the scenery, her acting was a deft balance of humanity and professionalism and the toughness that profession demands.

And, this may be the first major film to deal with the subject of the actual, real-life collapse of what we once knew as newspapers. I am an academic in the field, and have studied the matter, and have heard from the world's top media people. For better or worse, newspapers are dead. Let's just hope and pray that the crusading journalism portrayed in this film is not dead, but merely preparing to move house (to the web or where ever).

I'll skip details or descriptions of the plot. I think the reader will know about all there is to know by now. Let me say, though, that is was masterfully and beautifully accomplished. It deals with some of the lowest behaviours modern humanity is capable of, but at no time did the movie dip into the tawdry. This was no "Serpico" grit-fest, replete with gruesome scenes that you wish you could un-see. Rather, this film was a bona fide entertainment joy-ride. Loved it! You will too...

An Excellent Political Thriller

Author: Intern2014 from United States
9 September 2012

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

State of Play is a political thriller film. It is an adaptation of the six-part British television serial of the same name which first aired on BBC.The film was directed by Kevin Macdonald from a screenplay written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Peter Morgan, and Billy Ray. It stars Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck. The supporting cast includes Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright Penn, and Jeff Daniels.

U.S. congressman Stephen Collins (Affleck) is handsome, unflappable, and ascending the ladder of power with unprecedented speed. He's the future of his political party, and as the chairman of a committee assigned to oversee defense spending, he's got all the right connections. As the presidential race draws near, Washington insiders begin to speculate that Collins will earn his party's nomination for the country's top job. The prospect of Collins becoming president seems less and less likely, however, when his research assistant/mistress is viciously murdered, and some unsavory truths begin to surface. Collins was once a close friend to Cal McAffrey (Crowe), now a top reporter in the nation's capital. Assigned the task of investigating Collins by his ruthless editor, Cameron, McAffrey recruits fellow reporter Della in order to track down the truth and identify the killer. But McAffrey has just walked into a cover-up of unprecedented proportions, and in a game where billions of dollars are at stake, life, love, and integrity are luxuries that simply cannot be afforded.

State of Play is a pretty solid political thriller with some good twists and a very solid cast.It is comparable to other movies of the same genres such as All The President's Men for the reasons states from the previous sentence.Smart and complex films constructed and performed with precision like this are too rarely made that one should not pass it up.

5 out of 10 people found the following review useful:

An excellent, hugely enjoyable movie!

Author: Tim Johnson from Fremantle, Australia
11 June 2009

Not knowing anything about this film, I attended based on the strength of Russel Crowe and his past appearances in movies of distinction. I believe the guy is about the best around because of the believable tension he brings to the roles in which he plays. Helen Miriam was a bonus; she makes gold in whatever role in which she is cast. Diane and I both commented on the photography in the film and that the shot-selection was particularly appropriate to the on-screen action. This film, because I believe it to be based on a British TV series, means that the script was very tight and very suspenseful. There were no silly gimmicks or violence—just tight drama with the actors playing at their best. I would recommend this movie to any person that loves plot-fuelled drama at its very best.

5 out of 10 people found the following review useful:

A Nutshell Review: State of Play

Author: DICK STEEL from Singapore
6 June 2009

I'm a fan of a good investigative thriller, and State of Play combines that with some good old fashioned action from the newsroom with dogged reporters seeking perennial truth. Written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy and Billy Ray, you know you're in for one gripping ride with relentless twists and turns, as between them they are responsible for stories such as Lions for Lambs, The Kingdom, Michael Clayton, the Bourne franchise screenplays, Proof of Life, Breach and Shattered Glass. Whew! Imagine all the going points about those films all combined into one!

I thoroughly enjoyed how Conflict of Interests, as a theme is examined in the film. There's hardly a black and white answer, especially when one's moral authority gets put on the line because of the conscious decision to pursue personal or professional gain above all others. Simple things, like romantic entanglements, having to investigate and dig into the dirt of friends, code of conducts violations and the likes make all the characters here susceptible at one point or another to question their own beliefs, be they misguided just because they're pursuing something for the greater good, or to make compromises for the lesser of two evils.

And of course this will somehow lead to a corruption of the process. Do leads get released to the authorities for thorough investigations, or should the press (with press freedom firmly exercised of course) be trusted to exhaust those leads in a bid to starve off investigative leaks for that one big scoop to bring glory to themselves and their paper, in the name of truth-seeking. Or would parent companies be pressured to force the hand of their employees to come up with half-truths for fueling the need for readers to continue picking up the papers for the latest, which translates to profits?

For Russell Crowe's Cal McAffrey, his journey here is never easy, with personal friendships, moral ambiguity and professional pressure all lead to one crazy navigation through choppy waters, which includes having his life put on the line and at risk when faced with any one accidental move on the chessboard. It's never easy digging and dishing out dirt, not when folks tend to shy away from a reporter and not want to be on the record, but when you think you have conflict of interests all straightened out, they will all come back to haunt you.

Thankfully for him, help (or adversity in the first place) comes in the form of Rachel McAdams' rookie reporter and online columnist (read: Blogger) Della Frye, who gets hired by the Washington Globe just because of their recognition for an online presence, and the ability to shoot straight from the hip without reliance on the presses for production for the next day. This tussle between old school investigative journalism to check everything and follow up on leads, and the new age modern mindset of quantity over quality, spawned a superb subplot and theme, with the battle of two different paradigms, though at the superficial level, a fight between thoroughness and speed, between a veteran and a new bird, and even up to the relevance of newspapers in this day and age.

Director Kevin Macdonald weaved so much into a film just over two hours, that it deserves a second watch. While it's something like Ron Howard's The Paper or even the recent Japanese film Climber's High with their take on the journalism profession, the story ensures that what would seem like a series of random events of an apparent suicide and two night time killings, would string together an intricate web of political intrigue as well, touching on defense contractors, outsourcing/insourcing, and that of a politician's battle against opponents when he crafts bills or heads inquiries. I thought Ben Affleck adequately did what he could with the role as a Representative, together with supporting cast such as Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jeff Daniels, and Jason Bateman in a somewhat hilarious role of a middleman who's stuck in the middle of the whole mess.

State of Play is one intense roller coaster ride that didn't shift down from fourth gear throughout, with foot firmly on the pedal all the way to the finishing line. Great score, great ensemble cast and an engaging story all contribute to make this a film that I would consider breaking into my top 10 favourites of the year.

1 out of 4 people found the following review useful:

Thank Goodness

Author: kjbh11470 from United States
9 September 2009

Thank goodness Brad Pitt backed out! This wouldn't have been as good of a movie without Russell Crowe. Russell is just as much an "A List" actor as Brad, and even better for the serious role he played as "Cal". Good job Russell. Your loss Brad. The movie was very intriguing and does make you wonder just what does go in our government that we are unaware of. How much more conspiracy is there that we have no clue of? Ben Affleck played his role brilliantly. Robin Wright, as always, was wonderful. Love her, love her supporting roles. Rachel McAdams, too, plays a great supporting role. This is definitely a must see movie. If you like conspiracy movies, you will love this one.

2 out of 6 people found the following review useful:

Not a Boring Split-Second

Author: ligonlaw from San Francisco, California
18 May 2009

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

It was a tough challenge to make a film from the BBC series of the same name. We rented the BBC's "State of Play" and could not wait for the next episode.

We Americans have seen cops do everything - legal and illegal - in the thriller genre. What made the BBC series intriguing was the twist that the investigation was being conducted by journalists. Reporters do not need admissible evidence and are not under the same restrictions as the police and district attorneys. What is fit to print may not be admissible in court, but it may be factual and the plain truth. The BBC series may be the best thing to ever appear on television, so the writers, directors and actors in this film were dealing not only with rich material but a high bar for dramatic achievement.

The essentials of the British television drama were contained in this movie, but the television series ran slightly more than 5 hours, and this movie ran 2 hours and 10 minutes. Necessarily, many of the interesting journalistic ruses and background stories were eliminated in order to streamline the story for the big screen.

The American film was sharper than the British version, because the story takes place in Washington rather than London. At times, State of Play resembled another great thriller "Enemy of the State." The Bush years have provided writers with a rich backdrop of corrupt, sinister characters merging corporate greed and venal government officials. The film rings true when it suggests that shadowy operatives stand ready to commit atrocities in the name of patriotism. Anyone attempting to find the truth may be in mortal danger.

Russell Crowe plays the veteran reporter Cal McAffrey. One might expect more Oscar nominations for his performance. Ben Affleck plays the rising star politician who is the center of controversy and the suspect in a murder of a young woman. The cast is star-studded and includes Helen Mirren as Crowe's exasperated editor. She is operating a newspaper, which, like most newspapers, is threatened by the demise of news print. Rachel McAdams is more or less Crowe's sidekick, who disapproves of his ethical lapses but admires his results.

State of Play is a must-see movie. It delivers excitement, insight and drama. It is every bit as good as the BBC series by being excellent but different. See it.

3 out of 8 people found the following review useful:

Served up a huge dish of suspense

Author: leggygal_7 from Melbourne, Australia
26 May 2009

Having attended a free preview rather reluctantly, i was more than pleasantly surprised by this fantastic film. Russell Crowe is back on form playing a tough old school journalist. The mix of stellar casting - Rachel McAdams brings a youthful cheekiness, Helen Mirren does her usual star turn and Ben Affleck is also right on the money- with fast paced action is a winning combination. So refreshing to see a thriller that is not predictable and has moments where you have to catch your breath.While difficult to discuss the mechanics of the film without revealing spoilers, let me urge you to investigate for yourself the state of play.

114 out of 173 people found the following review useful:

State Of Play scores high points

Author: MovieZoo from United States
17 April 2009

You have to see this movie. I am not playing any games here. If you want to see a classic style movie that is cunning, interesting and lets you have fun with your imagination, you have to see this movie.

In the waning years of the newspaper industry, we see a very classy Helen Mirren play a "Devil wears Prada"-ish editor who runs The Washington Globe. Overpowering his boss(with charm and experience, of course), Russell Crowe is the very type of gutsy(almost brave) newspaper reporter that anyone who wanted to be in his shoes can admire. And yet he teams up with a Globe blogger(Rachel McAdams) who dares to see herself as his equal(and she really is). Crowe's and McAdams' characters brilliantly investigate a deadly situation tainted with national intrigue that includes the young yet powerfully influential Stephen Collins played by Ben Affleck.

I was on the edge of my seat most of the time, thrilled with this actual adventure in the city without any fear of cartoons or ray guns spoiling the appearance of authenticity. Movies like this are made so rarely, it was almost sad to leave the theater. I will see it again this weekend for sure.

I give it a high 9 and now I will try to get the BBC Miniseries version of State Of Play for comparison's sake which stars my favorite BBC TV star who I enjoyed as Sam Tyler on the BBC's Life On Mars (which had a better appeal than the US version).