Late Lunches: "State of Play"

- Posted by Rusty


Review: State of Play

My rating: 4 bites [out of 5]

I showed this movie to my parents a few days ago, and during a moment of Russell Crowe-investigative-reporting awesomeness, my mom turned to me and said:

“You want to be a reporter?”

I shook my head, just as Crowe did something badass again.

“Good. [Pause] Because you’d make a terrible one.”

That was meant in the nicest way possible...and I couldn’t agree more. I never wanted to be a reporter (if I do go into Journalism, I’d be much happier commentating from the side…preferably about movies, books, and TV!), but, man, I would never have the guts for what Russell Crowe does here. If I worked with him, I’d just be the worst possible partner—I’d nicely ask people for interviews, make jokes all the time, take “no” for an answer…and then Crowe would come along and rightfully beat me up (maybe he’ll even scream, “Are you not entertained?!” while doing that).

But that’s one of the reasons I loved State of Play—it was a fascinating glimpse into the lives of reporters—something I know very little about, despite wanting to be in that world. We see the tolls to your personal life that accumulate through the years, the consequences of publishing the truth about the people you care about, and just the choices these guys face on a daily basis, especially in the name of a good story. It’s not the main focus of the movie, but these details add life to the material, and raise it above what could have been just a standard mystery movie.

State of Play is a very strong film—the kind of well-thought-out story where lots of people with different agendas come together, the secrets come out, twists and turns happen at every possible moment, and loyalties and friendships are tested. This is smart entertainment—very well-acted, tightly plotted, and, despite little action in the traditional sense, it’s more exciting than what usually passes for “thrillers”. And it’s headlined by some of our best actors—all working in top-form, and giving us one of the best ensembles of the year.

I won’t get into too much of the story, since watching it unravel is a big part of the fun. So, here’s the basic set-up: Russell Crowe is seasoned Washington D.C. reporter, Cal McAffrey, and he stumbles on a strange shooting case. Meanwhile, his old college roommate, Congressman Collins (Ben Affleck), comes under fire for a possible affair, a story that falls to Rachel McAdams’s newbie blogger, Della Frye (and believing Crowe and Affleck as roommates is the only real stretch in the movie). As the twists pile up, Cal and Della start working together to unlock what might just be a wide-spanning conspiracy.


Once the main mystery kicks in, the story moves at a clip, tossing out rewarding plot twists left and right (especially one near the end, which viewers might figure out if they pay close attention). But I really want to give the filmmakers credit for making the movie as much about character as the overarching conspiracy. Crowe, especially, seems to be relishing playing Cal McAffrey—sure, he’s the never-back-down type when it comes to an important story, but the script (and Crowe) makes him a genuinely good guy—one who believes in the power of the truth, that newspapers could (and should) do more than entertain, even at the expense of making a profit. I also like that Crowe’s carrying a little extra weight here—he’s not in Maximus shape, and I think he uses that to his advantage. Cal’s a bit pudgy, loves to eat some second helpings of chili dogs (the mischievous smile on his face when he orders that is priceless), and that’s all a natural part of his character—he’s not the kind of guy who commands the attention of the Colosseum, but more the type who sneaks in on you with charm, his sense of humor, and his unthreatening, always-messy locks of hair. Crowe’s one of my favorite actors, and I like his lighter, playful roles (A Good Year, 3:10 to Yuma had glimpses of this too) just as much as the powerhouse-actor ones (like A Beautiful Mind, Gladiator, etc). He’s got a Robin Hood movie coming out next year, from Gladiator director, Ridley Scott, and I can’t wait to see what he does with that.

Rachel McAdams does lovely work here as well—in fact, it’s the relationship between her and Crowe that really makes the movie for me. Her Della Frye is a good writer, but a completely inexperienced reporter. Still, she’s got spark and tons of determination (she would have made a terrific Lois Lane), and Crowe’s character takes her under his wing—it’s a sweet notion, and how Cal pushes to bring out her inner-great-reporter are some of the movie’s nicest touches. There’s also a scene with the two of them near the end, playing off a running joke in the movie, and it’s just a treat to watch—just two fine actors breathing life and energy to some great writing. McAdams is one of our most talented young actresses, so kudos to her for continuing to pick quality projects like this one.

I also want to single out Ben Affleck as Congressman Collins—Affleck’s another one of my favorites, and it’s especially nice to see him put in such strong character work (I also hear his hippie stoner in Extract steals that whole movie). After all the Giglis and Surviving Christmases, I know his name has become a bit of a joke, but Affleck has been on a major roll since his “comeback” with Hollywoodland (which should have gotten him a Best Supporting Actor nomination). Watching his interviews, he’s definitely a clever and talented guy, and one with a wicked sense of humor about himself (really, listen to some of his DVD commentaries—no one makes fun of his own films like him)—he would be the first to admit that he made awful film choices in the past, but he’s well on his way to correcting that. This is a tricky role, and casting the likeable Affleck is a smart, extra layer to an already interesting character—see what I mean when you watch the film—it’s easily his best work since Hollywoodland.

The supporting cast is also excellent, including Robin Wright Penn (The Princess Bride), a deliciously smarmy Jason Bateman (the very missed Arrested Development), and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren (The Queen, National Treasure 2) as the tough-as-nails editor of Crowe’s newspaper (if anyone could stand toe-to-toe with Crowe…and intimidate him, it’s her). Some great writers pitched in to the script, most notably Tony Gilroy (the Bourne trilogy) and Billy Ray (Shattered Glass, the best movie about journalists, in my opinion…and proof that Hayden Christensen can actually act!), and it’s all confidently directed by Kevin McDonald (The Last King of Scotland).

The movie also comments on the current newspaper woes—mainly, the slow death of print and the domination of online material. I’m not too knowledgeable on that, but I thought the movie handled the issue with subtlety and quite a positive, intelligent outlook. I actually feel the same way about books, with the steadily building argument that Kindles and portable electronics will one day replace them. That may be the case…but, for now, I think people will still flock to read a good book in print, exactly the way it was intended (Harry Potter and Dan Brown’s new book—which I’ll do an “On the Bookshelf” for in a few days—are perfect examples of that).

If I had any quibbles, it’s that the pacing lags a bit toward the end (although you forgive it on second viewing, since it’s vital for the final twist). There’s also one confrontation with Affleck and Crowe that feels too overwritten—the forced, “I thought you were my friend!”-type of outburst, where Affleck has to scream out exactly what the Conflict is for the audience—it’s one of the very few false notes this movie hits. Like I said, these are minor quibbles—little things like that could have been taken out, but their presence didn't hurt my enjoyment of the movie.

Overall, along with Adventureland, this is my favorite film that I got to review here, so this is a very easy recommendation. Great suspense, an interesting story, and some fantastic acting…and you learn a little about journalists (which I found very cool)—I think there’s a little something for everyone here. And, let me just add: for a rental, it’ll be cheaper and a whole lot better than some of the films currently in theaters.

…and here are some fun facts to close this off:

Fun Fact 1: This movie was originally set to star Brad Pitt and Edward Norton (as Cal and Congressman Collins, respectively) in their first, legitimate post-Fight Club reunion (they co-produced a documentary since that movie), but that fell through as the script underwent some changes. Great actors, both of them, and the resulting film would have been just as interesting…if totally different.

Fun Fact 2: This movie’s based on a BBC miniseries starring James McAvoy (who was also in director McDonald’s The Last King of Scotland) and Bill Nighy (Davy Jones in the last two Pirates of the Caribbean movies)—I love both McAvoy and Nighy (man, I have way too many favorites), so I’ll be sure to check it out and let you guys know how it compares. The filmmakers here did an admirable job condensing 6 episodes worth of story into 2 hours, but if anyone’s curious, I’m sure a more-detailed version of this could be pretty interesting to see.


Images courtesty of Universal Pictures, Working Title Films, and BBC