OC Screenwriters Association

Well, first of all, learn from this reviewer’s mistake and do NOT get a big gulp trough size fountain drink before entering the theater to see this film. While I didn’t find State of Play anywhere near as compelling as some, I couldn’t justify a quick trip to the ladies, although I think I easily could have.  

I’m reading blurbs in the print ads touting State of Play as a top notch “thriller” with “twists at every turn”; I don’t agree and I wonder if this is because there are regularly scheduled programs on TV on any given night that are much more thrilling and twistier. Watch “24” or “Breaking Bad” and get your mind blown, or any episode of “Law and Order” for a good corkscrew turn to the plot. State of Play may have some twists, but the viewer is usually alerted at least five minutes in advance to what’s coming.

Russell Crowe’s character, a crusty, dedicated hippie print journalist, is given a hot story involving his former college roommate, (Ben Affleck) an impassioned Senator conducting really important hearings to expose a corrupt large corporation and his research assistant/mistress committed suicide jumping in front of a metro train—or was it murder? The Senator has proof his young hottie did not take her own life and turns to Crowe to help. (Why go to a reporter instead of the police if you suspect your girlfriend was murdered? C’mon, shut up and watch the movie…)
 
Crowe goes to his editor, equally crusty, salty yet classy because she’s Helen Mirren, dammit, and she’s gives him 48 hours to break the story and she’s totally not kidding, or else she’ll be crankier and swear even more. Those are our time stakes? Will he lose his job? Never have lunch in that town again? Political corruption will permeate our very existence and life as we know will cease to exist? Jack Bauer will die of exposure from toxic bio-weapons? Nope, he just better get that story before anyone else does! There’s a hint of the paper going down the tubes, but in no way is it believable that the truth behind the death of the Senator’s mistress is the deal breaker here.
 
Anyway, Crowe with his cutie cub-reporter assistant and affront to the heart of soul of journalism (she’s the newspaper’s blogger) are on the case. Questions are answered, others arise…better call Helen and tell her that they need more time. Dammit, she’s not happy, she looks at her watch, she swears…well, you bloody well better get that story in another 24 hours or else…what? There’s also a sniper running amok who doesn’t seem to have a specific agenda either. We do get a lot of inter cut scenes of him preparing for his next kill, we so know the movie’s not over yet, but in the end, it doesn’t really matter or even add much to the suspense.

I understand that State of Play is based on a brilliant BBC mini-series and it’s gotta be a bitch to boil it down to a few hours, and perhaps therein lies the inherent problem. There may have been aspirations of All the President’s Men or even Absence of Malice: if this is the case, it falls short. And maybe I just watch too much random television to be thoroughly impressed by this flawed, but ambitions film’s attempt to keep me on the edge of my seat.  

What I liked: I did stay engaged throughout the movie. The cast is impressive and no one is short-changed script wise. The dialogue is mostly good. I truly appreciate the undergoing theme of the demise of print journalism in favor of online news and sleazy tabloids. And I heart Jason Bateman (his sleazy PR character is perfection) and want to be Helen Mirren when I grow up.

So, I give State of Play 6 lemons…make your self a cool, refreshing beverage and don’t forget to add some extra sugar (or booze.)