Eye Candy #127 - "State of Play"

State of Play: An American remake of a BBC miniseries of the same name, it focuses on the inter-relationships between the various parties in Washington DC, including journalists, politicians, and corporations, and the self-serving motivations of each. Russell Crowe is Cal McAffrey, a reporter for the Washington Globe, who stumbles into a much bigger story while investigating the death of a street criminal alongside cub reporter Della Fry (Rachel McAdams). The deeper they dig, the more explosive their story, including dragging in friends of McAffrey. Ben Affleck plays Stephen Collins, a close friend of McAffrey’s as well as a young congressman mired in hearings with Pointcorp, a Blackwater/Halliburton stand-in engaged in illegal war profiteering. The supporting cast includes Helen Mirren, Robin Wright, Jeff Daniels, Harry Lennix, and Jason Bateman in a nice role against type as a PR man in way over his head with some very dangerous people. This was directed by Kevin Macdonald, who also gave us the very good “Last King of Scotland”. This is a solid little film with good pacing, a good script, and some nice departure roles for some involved (Crowe as an overweight, shabby veteran reporter is a long way from Maximus in “Gladiator”). I don’t know if it is as successful in being profound as it obviously aspires to be and the conclusion is a bit unsatisfying because it doesn't match the tone of the rest of the film,, but it’s certainly a well put together flick. Woodchuck sez, “Check it out.”