You would be hardpressed to find another film made this year that has as stellar a cast with as much to work with as State of Play.
The movie advertises itself as a thriller with a twist ending you won't see coming.
A lot of movies make this claim, but State of Play has something going for it that those other movies don't: Its twists are realistic and unpredictable, and its cast has the talent to pull them off.
The twists never feel contrived. Just as soon as the audience is sure they finally have a clear picture of what really happened, the film hits them over the head with the final goosebumps-inducing act.
State of Play opens with the seemingly unrelated deaths of a drug dealer and a congressman's aide. It quickly comes out that the aide and Congressman Collins (Ben Affleck, in one of his better performances in recent history) were having an affair. As the public focuses on the congressman's unraveling personal life, Washington Globe reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) looks into the story, hoping to help Collins, who is an old friend from college.
McAffrey quickly links the deaths to a corporate conspiracy, and with the help of an ambitious young reporter (Rachel McAdams), he discovers that delving into this tangled web of deceit will test his courage and his loyalty.
If All the President's Men and a James Bond movie had a baby, that baby's name would be State of Play. The film will have you on the edge of your seat, impatiently and excitedly waiting to know what's really going on behind the smokescreen of political spin and corporate power.
The film is based on a six-episode British television series of the same title that aired to critical acclaim in 2003. The world of State of Play feels very real. The characters in it are authentic and well fleshed out.
Every member of the cast plays their part flawlessly, and the chemistry among the actors is perfect. Crowe's McAffrey is a brash, gung-ho journalist whose investigative instincts kick in after he realizes there is more to the case than meets the eye.
His editor tells him that journalists don't have friends, only sources. McAffrey tests this theory when he attempts to keep his personal feelings about Collins and his wife (Robin Wright Penn) separate from his desire to get the story.
Affleck plays Collins as a well-meaning congressman who allows the foibles of Washington to get in the way of the good work he is trying to do.
As hungry young reporter Della, McAdams exudes equal parts sensitivity, strength, class and confidence on screen that is reminiscent of silver screen stars of days gone by.
Jason Bateman plays a small but important part. The film's most shocking scene rests on his shoulders, and he doesn't disappoint.
State of Play is a sleek thriller that doesn't force viewers to suffer through a dull moment, from its murderous beginning to its thought-provoking conclusion.
Grade: A-
