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Just when I think I have the studios figured out, they throw me another curveball. You see, when a studio chooses to release a film in the spring, it’s usually a bad sign. Typically, it means that it’s not an award-worthy film, nor is it good enough to offer a thoughtful change of pace from the over-the-top blockbusters of summer. That was definitely the case with Tom Tykwer’s The International. But Universal surprised me this spring—first with Duplicity and now with State of Play.
A remake of the BBC’s six-part series (which aired in 2003), State of Play stars Russell Crowe as old-school Washington, D.C., journalist Cal McAffrey. While Cal’s digging for clues on a late-night shooting, news breaks of the subway station death of a Washington aide. Her boss (and Cal’s college roommate), Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), publicly broke down after hearing the news, suggesting that the pretty redhead was more than just his research assistant.
With his paper struggling to keep from going under and his friend’s reputation (and career) on the line, Cal’s determined to clear his friend and get the big scoop at the same time. Collins suspects that his aide’s death has something to do with the military contractor that he’s been investigating, so Cal teams up with enthusiastic rookie Della Frye (Rachel McAdams)—despite his very strong opinions about her job as the paper’s political blogger—to try to cover all the bases.
State of Play is an intricate political thriller—a fascinating story of sex, lies, and scandal that’s filled with twisted and tangled relationships. I can imagine that the six-hour series allowed for more development of the rather extensive cast of characters and their various relationships—because there’s definitely a lot going on here. But both the writers (including Oscar-nominated writer/director Tony Gilroy) and the actors do a pretty impressive job of conveying a lot in the relatively short (two-hour) runtime.
Often, the actors have just a few words (or just one look) to help the audience understand the characters and their history—but, fortunately, the cast is generally up to the daunting task. Crowe is captivating as the smooth-talking, scoop-sniffing, crusty veteran hack who suddenly finds himself caught between his loyalty to his friend and his credibility (and even his career) as a reporter. In fact, he makes it seem completely effortless. Affleck, on the other hand, tends to overact at times—but, for the most part, he’s appropriately plastic for the part. The supporting performers bring their A-game, too—from Helen Mirren, who plays Cal’s stressed-out boss (definitely a different take on the wizened old newspaperman), to Robin Wright Penn, who plays Anne Collins, the Congressman’s worn-out wife. And Jason Bateman offers a bit of comic relief as a slicked-back Washington PR guy.
Together, they manage to tell a six-hour story in just two hours—without losing much of the intrigue or suspense. It’s an intense, attention-grabber of a story, and there are plenty of surprises along the way. Though it doesn’t necessarily stand out as an exceptional political thriller, it’s certainly above average—and, like Duplicity (which Tony Gilroy wrote and directed), it’s far better than the average spring release. So if you’re tired of the same old brainless fluff (I know I am!), check out State of Play instead.
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