Description
A political conspiracy lies at the heart of this film starring Oscar winners Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, and Helen Mirren. A reporter (Crowe) in the nation's capital discovers a mess of lies when the mistress of a congressman (Affleck) is murdered. Kevin Macdonald (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) directs this thriller based on the BBC miniseries of the same name.
Director Kevin Macdonald moves from documentaries and the Idi Amin drama THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND to this fictional thriller that feels all too real at times. Based on the BBC miniseries of the same name, STATE OF PLAY stars Russell Crowe as Cal McCaffrey, an old-school-style journalist working for the Washington Globe. He begins to investigate the death of a young woman who was the research assistant and mistress of his friend Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), an ambitious congressman whose career is likely ruined when his affair is revealed. Joined by young political blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams), Cal races against time and deadlines to solve the murder, which may be only a small part of a much larger crime.
Like ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN, STATE OF PLAY is a thought-provoking thriller that manages to be both timely and timeless. It reflects its 2009 release date with a plot that questions the validity and existence of newspapers in the face of bloggers and the 24-hour news cycle, as well as addressing the efforts of a Blackwater-like group working in Iraq and Afghanistan. But Macdonald’s film should also age remarkably well; Crowe’s Cal must reconcile his personal life with his professional one, and ethics lie at the heart of the movie. Crowe gives a get-noticed performance in the middle of a packed cast that also includes Affleck, McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jeff Daniels, and Robin Wright Penn. Jason Bateman steals scenes—and adds a bit of much-needed comic relief—in his small part in the film.
Movieline:
04/13/2009 “Take ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN, add liberal doses of potboiler melodrama and existential journalist angst, and you’ve got the foundation for STATE OF PLAY...”Variety:
04/13/2009 "[T]his efficient, admirably coherent thriller about reporters digging down to where politics and murder meet in Washington, D.C., has a wistful air about it..."Chicago Sun-Times:
04/15/2009 3 stars out of 5 — "STATE OF PLAY is a smart, ingenious thriller set in the halls of Congress and the city room of a newspaper not unlike the Washington Post."USA Today:
04/21/2009 3 stars out of 4 — "[A] well-crafted political thriller....Several high-caliber performances give the film its vibrancy, under the capable direction of Kevin Macdonald. Crowe is excellent, and Helen Mirren is superb..."Washington Post:
04/17/2009 "STATE OF PLAY features handsome production and terrific performances....Mirren has some especially choice moments..."A.V. Club:
04/16/2009 "Macdonald and his cast shepherd STATE OF PLAY through a number of surprising twists and turns..." — Grade: B-Box Office:
04/16/2009 3 stars out of 5 — "[Crowe delivers] a performance of grizzled credibility as a newspaper journalist....STATE OF PLAY is, more than a topical alarm bell, an efficient, pulsating exercise in thriller mechanics."Premiere:
04/16/2009 4 stars out of 4 — "This is a smart script...[with] a wealth of twists..."Rolling Stone:
04/30/2009 3 stars out of 4 — "It's juicy stuff, made juicier by the actors....STATE OF PLAY keeps the twists coming."Total Film:
10/01/2009 4 stars out of 5 — "[A] storming thriller....The fesity veteran/rookie relationship is made believable thanks to the actors' spot-on chemistry..."Entertainment Weekly:
09/04/2009 "Crowe is fantastic as a grizzled, old-school D.C. reporter....The story's twists and switchbacks keep coming." — Grade: A-
CAST
| Russell Crowe | Australian Actor, GLADIATOR (2000) |
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| Ben Affleck | Oscar-winning actor/screenwriter, GOOD WILL HUNTING |
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| Helen Mirren | British Actress |
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| Rachel McAdams | Actress, THE NOTEBOOK (2004), MEAN GIRLS |
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| Robin Wright Penn | Actress, THE PLEDGE (2000) |
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| Jason Bateman | American TV Actor |
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| Jeff Daniels | American Actor, SOMETHING WILD (1986) |
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| Josh Mostel | American Supporting Actor |
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| Michael Weston | Star, COYOTE UGLY (2000) |
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| Barry Shabaka Henley | Actor, THE TERMINAL (2004) |
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| Viola Davis | Actress, NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, FAR FROM HEAVEN |
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CREW
| Director | Kevin MacDonald (Director) |
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| Executive Producer | Paul Abbott (TV screenwriter/producer, RECKLESS/SHAMELESS) |
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| Producer | Andrew Hauptman (Producer) |
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| Producer | Eric Fellner (Producer) |
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| Screenwriter | Tony Gilroy |
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| Screenwriter | Billy Ray (Screenwriter--NOT the adult actor) |
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| Producer | Tim Bevan |
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| Screenwriter | Matthew Michael Carnahan (Screenwriter, LIONS FOR LAMBS) |
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| Executive Producer | E. Bennett Walsh |
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| Director of Photography | Rodrigo Prieto (Director of Photography, AMORES PERROS (2001)) |
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| Composer | Alex Heffes (composer, ONE DAY IN SEPTEMBER) |
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Edition: UneditedVersion, CollectorsEdition, DirectorsCut
Video: Color, LetterBoxed
Audio: Silent
Original release:
128 min
, English (Original)
Weight factor: 1 item(s)
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| Area |
Runtime |
Box |
| USA |
128 min |
(normal)
ClamShell |
| Rating |
PG-13 (MPAA)
for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content |
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Catalog #: 3045590
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UPC: 025195052993 |
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Distributor NotesAcademy Award®-winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast, including Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams & Helen Mirren in the blistering thriller about deception, manipulation & corruption.
When D.C. Reporter Cal McCaffrey (Crowe) is assigned to investigate the murder of an assistant to an up-and-coming politician (Affleck), he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to bring down the nation’s power structures. In a town of spin-doctors and wealthy power brokers, he will discover one truth: when fortunes are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is safe.
From director Kevin Macdonald of The Last King of Scotland, State of Play brings together gripping performances, riveting suspense and is “sophisticated, intelligent and powerful” (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV).
Release NotesBlu-ray Disc Features: Region [unknown] Audio: DTS 5.1 Surround - French, Spanish English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Subtitles - English, SDH, French, Spanish Additional Release Material: Deleted Scenes My Scenes Featurette: The Making of State of Play U Control - Picture in Picture U Control - Washington, D.C. Locations Interactive Features: BD Live - Download Center BD Live - My Scenes Sharing
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