Cinema Voyage - Michael Pearson

This blog is PRIMARILY about movies. Some dvd and some that are still in the theater. Also, links are provided on some movies if you decide you want to purchase it. Also, I write and read quite a bit. So, you may, from time to time see a book review here from an up-and-coming author or an interview with one. If you have a book that you have written, please don't hesitate to contact me if you want an unbiased opinion. I would be happy to read and review what you've written. We should value our creative people more.

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Review - State Of Play

June 10th 2009 11:02

State of Play is a cleverly scripted thriller directed by The Last King of Scotland's Kevin Macdonald which was based on an award winning BBC thriller of the same name. Starring Ben Affleck and Russell Crowe, casting wise it may be hard to believe that Affleck and Crowe were college buddies due to not only their character's personality differences but also their 8 year age gap! Despite this, Crowe suits the role of Cal McAffrey and the grunginess and attitude that his role is accompanied by.

As Cal is covering a drug related shooting, news breaks that a female colleague of his old college buddy Congressman Stephen Collins has met a cruel fate at a train station and reporters capture Stephen reacting emotionally at a press conference. Speculation soon gives way to the fact that Stephen and his head researcher Sonia Baker (Maria Thayer) were having an affair and before long, the media is surrounding the Collins' residence in order to get the official scoop.

Unable to go home because of the reporters and his wife Anne's (Robin Wright Penn) refusal, Stephen arrives unannounced on Cal's doorstep. It is clear that the two are no longer close due to an incident which occurred in the past, although they manage to put aside their feelings in order to try to defuse the media frenzy surrounding that of the Congressman.

As Cal investigates further into his drug shooting story, he finds a connection to Sonia Baker and pushes Cal for further information. The pair were working together on a case investigating a company by the name of PointCorp in relation to defense budgets and spending and which if there was to be a prosecution, PointCorp would stand to lose millions if not billions of dollars. To make the story interesting, Cal is not working the PointCorp angle alone. Assigned to assist him is Washington Post blogger and first time print reporter Della Frye (Rachel McAdams). The pair, despite their rocky start to the relationship, find that they are able to work together effectively in order to get to the truth.

Cal of course finds himself torn between getting to the truth and helping out his friends although his Editor, Cameron Lynne (Helen Mirren), would prefer if he could cut to the chase quicker in order to sell some newspapers. Mirren is of course very effective as a newspaper editor, showing the brazenness and quick thinking that her job requires. In fact all roles are portrayed effectively except maybe that of Jason Bateman who seemed a bit out of place as PR man and rat, Dominic Foy.

Part drama and thriller with political and corporate plotlines, the story had enough going on to keep me interested with even a surprise or two at the end.

Those who have viewed the original television series will no doubt be dismayed by the series being condensed into a 2 hour movie and I am guessing that a bit of the back story and side stories were lost in the cut. Overall as a stand alone piece, it did not detract disastrously.

Voyage Review: 4/5

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Posted By: Michelle Sweeney - Category: Thriller

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