State of Play Movie Review with Russell Crowe
Excellent acting highlights tense, effective political thriller
Apr 27, 2009
From the moment you meet Russell Crowe's character, newspaper reporter Cal McAffrey in the film State of Play, the likability factor comes into play. He's scruffy, smart aleck-y, and obviously a pretty on point fella. As the film opens up and delves further into the mystery that Cal tries to solve for the benefit of his newspaper, the likability factor never diminishes and Crowe never wavers from a fine performance, carrying the film amongst a plethora of fine performances.
Other effective roles in the film are Helen Mirren as Cal's "no BS" news editor, who tries to effectively rally Cal into giving her something she can publish to help try to save the paper's dwindling circulation; Robin Wright Penn as the focus of a love triangle between Cal, herself, and Cal's former college roommate (and current Representative) Stephen Collins. Jason Bateman, always reliable, is no less effective in a small role as what amounts to basically a stool pigeon. Rachel McAdams pulls off the role of doe eyed cub reporter Della Frye, fighting for respect despite Cal's obvious irritated first impression.
The performances are all pretty much solid, though Ben Affleck (as the aforementioned Rep. Collins) seems a little too young to have been a college roommate of Russ Crowe. Still, even Affleck carries himself well, giving a fairly nuanced performance as a morally conflicted political powerhouse who tries to break up a corrupt company.
State of Play - The Story
When wisecracking reporter Cal stumbles onto a connection between what might otherwise go unnoticed as two unrelated deaths, he becomes obsessed with the notion that somehow it is all linked in a much bigger conspiracy. When it comes out that one of the victims was also the assistant of his friend (and Congressman), Cal becomes embroiled into the whole thing even further. With the help of young and ambitious reporter Della Frye, Cal discovers some pretty interesting information, which might lead to trouble for himself.
Russell Crowe and the rest of the cast
At it's best, State of Play is a tense, quick moving thriller. It's alternately engrossing, gritty, even funny. There are plenty of twists, some more obvious than others, and the more initiated viewers of this type of film may figure a couple of them out before they're revealed to the characters of the film, but overall it's fresh and quick moving. Crowe and Mirren have a particularly nice chemistry as reporter and editor, and even the smaller roles such as that of Jeff Daniels as a Senator, are well represented and serve to further the proceedings.
State of Play - The Verdict
State of Play should please most audiences. Exciting and extremely entertaining, with an extremely charismatic turn by Oscar winner Russell Crowe, and maybe even a surprise or two along the way. Recommended.
