Release Date:
Friday, April 17, 2009
Directed by: Kevin Macdonald
The Skinny: When the pretty young research assistant to a U.S. Congressman (Ben Affleck) is killed, a grizzled, old school Washington Post reporter (Russell Crowe)—who also happens to have been college buddies with the Congressman—teams up with the paper's rookie blogger (Rachel McAdams) to figure out what's going down behind closed D.C. doors.
The Good: Although a well-executed political thriller that thrives on the unexpected chemistry between Crowe and McAdams (and Helen Mirren, too, as Crowe's haggard editor), what really makes State of Play click is its "death of journalism" subplot. Crowe represents the last of a dying breed—a man who is actually interested in, get this, researching stories…leaving his own opinions out of mix…we know, we know, but stay with us…and actually REPORTING THE TRUTH. Seriously. Faced with internet twits and corporations concerned more with selling papers than reporting news, Crowe's character seems as anachronistic as a blacksmith in the Apple store. And that's sad.
The Bad: There's nothing wrong with the story's "gotcha" moments and resolution, but none of it really grabs the way it should. It's probably because you get so caught up in the circumstances surrounding Crowe's character that you almost forget that there's a plot that needs to be resolved. And, we're sorry, but we don't buy Crowe and Affleck going to college in the same decade, much less being roomies.
Club Closed: State of Play was originally going to be a re-teaming of Fight Club co-stars Brad Pitt (in Crowe's shoes) and Ed Norton (in Affleck's). Both actors had to drop out, however.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? This is definitely a good theater outing. Switch off that incessant moronic screeching jokingly called "TV news" and go consider how we let things get so shitty so fast.
The Skinny: When the pretty young research assistant to a U.S. Congressman (Ben Affleck) is killed, a grizzled, old school Washington Post reporter (Russell Crowe)—who also happens to have been college buddies with the Congressman—teams up with the paper's rookie blogger (Rachel McAdams) to figure out what's going down behind closed D.C. doors.
The Good: Although a well-executed political thriller that thrives on the unexpected chemistry between Crowe and McAdams (and Helen Mirren, too, as Crowe's haggard editor), what really makes State of Play click is its "death of journalism" subplot. Crowe represents the last of a dying breed—a man who is actually interested in, get this, researching stories…leaving his own opinions out of mix…we know, we know, but stay with us…and actually REPORTING THE TRUTH. Seriously. Faced with internet twits and corporations concerned more with selling papers than reporting news, Crowe's character seems as anachronistic as a blacksmith in the Apple store. And that's sad.
The Bad: There's nothing wrong with the story's "gotcha" moments and resolution, but none of it really grabs the way it should. It's probably because you get so caught up in the circumstances surrounding Crowe's character that you almost forget that there's a plot that needs to be resolved. And, we're sorry, but we don't buy Crowe and Affleck going to college in the same decade, much less being roomies.
Club Closed: State of Play was originally going to be a re-teaming of Fight Club co-stars Brad Pitt (in Crowe's shoes) and Ed Norton (in Affleck's). Both actors had to drop out, however.
Theater, DVD, or TNT in Five Years? This is definitely a good theater outing. Switch off that incessant moronic screeching jokingly called "TV news" and go consider how we let things get so shitty so fast.