This much anticipated remake of the BBC TV series (of the same name), is a political thriller about a team of investigative reporters who work alongside a police detective to solve the murder of a congressman's mistress.
A top notch cast includes Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck and Helen Mirren. If that's not enough to blow your socks off, just look at the impressive bunch of people who made it... Director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) helms a scipt co-authored by Tony Gilroy (The Bourne Ultimatum), Matthew Michael Carnahan (The Kingdom) and Billy Ray (Shattered Glass). Shot by Rodrigo Prieto (Brokeback Mountain), produced by Tim Bevan (Atonement).
In the end, though, it's Crowe who must carry the most freight, which he does with another characterization to relish. Still bulky, although not as much so as in "Body of Lies," long-tressed and somewhat grizzled, he finds the gist of the affable eccentricity, natural obsessiveness and mainstream contrarianism that marks many professional journalists.
Full reviewA twisty substantial thriller, faithfully adapted from a standout BBC mini-series. It’s not as exceptional as its source but the changes implemented mostly enhance rather than harm the story.
Full reviewA superficially clever, self-important and finally incoherent thriller.
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The movie never quite attains altitude. It has a great takeoff, levels nicely, and then seems to land on autopilot. Maybe it's the problem of resolving so much plot in a finite length of time, but it seems a little too facile toward the end.
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With such a great story forming the backbone of this, it would have been a travesty to get it wrong. While it lacks the slow build of tension, and the character and relationship texture and back-story that six hours of television has the time and freedom to build, the film manages to condense State of Play into a pretty compelling few hours in the cinema.
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Somehow when State of Play should be at its stomach-clenching best, the tension simply evaporates.
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There is nothing we haven't seen here before in terms of chases, intrigue and betrayals, so for all its A-list cast and production values, the film comes off as routine.
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Once you get over the unlikelihood of Affleck and Crowe as buddies, State Of Play stands as a sterling thriller, benefiting from admirable convictions and an arguable return to form by Russell Crowe.
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If you are of a mood for a well-put-together and absorbing thriller, you should not be disappointed.
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