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Released 22nd April 2009
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Being the grandson of legendary filmmaker Emeric Pressburger seems to have rubbed off very favourably on Scottish director Kevin Macdonald, the directing mastermind behind the Oscar-winning The Last King Of Scotland, as he delivers another excellent thriller. State Of Play is a non-stop, thrilling ride, pumped full of adrenaline from beginning to end, with a completely absorbing performance from Russell Crowe. Expanding waistline and hippy hair aside, Crowe seems to be made for playing investigative hack Cal McAffrey because he draws on his natural, ballsy, pit-bull determination and sheer passion for a project.
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Even though Crowe plays one of those most loathed of creatures, ‘a journalist’, we still manage to warm to McAffrey, not necessarily because he is a fighter for truth and justice, exposing Capitol Hill smut and corruption, but because Crowe expertly balances the rough with the smooth in his character to display McAffrey’s hidden, softer, paternal side for those he cares for. Crowe plays this type of character to perfection, always pricking the interest of any possible audience. But this critic is beginning to warm to Ben Affleck as he wisely chooses the more serious roles than the pretty-boy (and sometimes camp) ones of past. Affleck impresses as corrupt Senator Collins, growing more capable and believable in character roles as the actor matures. It’s never an easy task to shine beside the all-consuming screen presence that is Crowe (gut aside), but Affleck really does and deserves praise for his performance in this thriller, capturing the imagination well.
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Helen Mirren fans can revel in her magnetic Brit confidence once more, epitomised by her hard-nut portrayal of Detective Superintendent Jane Tennison in Prime Suspect, as the sexy Dame lays down the law as no-nonsense, blunt-talking newspaper editor Cameron Lynne in this film, delighting all in the process. Rachel McAdams as McAffrey’s protégé does a effective job, but it is debatable whether another, more experienced actress could have pulled off this crucial supporting role any better, injecting more energy and drive into the story-hungry Della Frye - even though McAdams delivers an appealing naivety to the role.
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On a similar note, it is, unfortunately, difficult to take Orange Ad actor Brennan Brown seriously in his straight role as Andrew Pell because he will forever be typecast, as we expect him to revert back to his annoying Orange corporate executive persona at any second. But full credit to Brown for taking this role on because the initial, humorous distraction is short lived. Jason Bateman, however, as the repulsive PR guy Dominic Foy steals the hotel-room scenes from Crowe in a quite monumental change of direction for the actor than his usual slapstick or kids’ comedy film roles. We certainly welcome seeing his intriguing talent channelled into more ‘unhinged’ roles in the future, as the amicable Bateman appears to have a flare for them.
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State Of Play is, without a doubt, an entertaining and stellar film with a gripping plot that holds the attention throughout because of the quality of its script/directing, its feisty bravado and, more importantly, its immensely enigmatic cast. It is a must-see for political-suspense-thriller fans - make that all suspense-thriller fans alike!
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By Lisa Keddie
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Synopsis
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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).
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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.
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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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Film Facts
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Official site: http://www.stateofplaymovie.co.uk/
UK Release Date: 22nd April 2009
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writers: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy
Cast: Russell Crowe (’Cal McAffrey’), Ben Affleck (’Stephen Collins’), Jason Bateman (’Dominic Foy’), Rachel McAdams (’Della Frye’), Helen Mirren (’Cameron Lynne’), Robin Wright Penn (’Anne Collins’), Jeff Daniels (’Rep. George Fergus’), Katy Mixon (’Rhonda Silver’), Wendy Makkena (’Greer Thornton’)
Distributor: Universal Pictures International UK
Certificate: 12A
Run-time: 143 mins
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Video on Real.com
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Trailer:
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THREE CLIPS:
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Russell Crowe Interview:
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Ben Affleck Interview:
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Rachel McAdams Interview:
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Kevin MacDonald Interview:
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World Premiere in London:
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