Very Cool!!!

Simply Perfect

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the congressman, his old college friend. Thanks to a great cast of talented actors such as Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, David Harbour and Viola Davis State of Play is a very good Political Thriller with many surprises and mysteries behind a simple murder of a woman in a train station that has a lot of corruption behind it and by the end of the film you will go like what the hell am i watching? But honestly this was a really good movie and the performances by the whole cast were truly terrific.

Best part of the movie are the credits, showing a large city newspaper being published (the Washington Post disguised as the Washington Globe; sort of like "All the King's Men", without the kings and without the men).The story is muddled. The "surprise" twists are difficult to track, and seem very contrived. Too many "deep throats."The Congressman is arrested, for causing his mistress to be killed by his psycho military buddy, who also kills a briefcase thief and a pizza delivery man on a bicycle. Who also tries...twice...to kill reporter Russell Crowe, but fails. In fact, Psycho Ops guy has to make a second attempt to kill the pizza delivery man, in a hospital room. Now, there is a disservice to the vaunted killing skills of a Special Ops guy!Ben Affleck, as the Congressman, is more sympathetic than Russell Crowe, the reporter. At least, he seems conflicted and sheds a tear when he hears his mistress was killed. Did he or did he not order his mistress killed? Not clear, but any decent DC lawyer should be able to get his case dismissed for lack of evidence. When near the end the Psycho Ops guy talks on his cell phone to announce, "he'll finish the job," is he talking to Affleck or to the majority whip? That could be determined, not from the cell phones he tosses down the garbage disposal, but from the cell carrier under subpoena by the cops. Alas, not in this movie.Regardless, Russell Crowe just nails his best friend, without remorse. His expository article is not even honest. He writes that Psycho Ops guy is found dead in his apartment with a self-inflicted bullet wound, but only seconds earlier we see him killed in the street by the cops.The paper announces the arrest of Ben Affleck. The CeO of the evil corporation (Blackwater?) resigns....but is he arrested and charged? At this point, who cares about any of this? A final puzzle; Russell Crowe and Ben Affleck both have a large pimple on their face. Is that meaningful? Who knows. Like the entire plot, who cares?

This movie is remake of British TV series with same name. The British TV series far far better than this movie. Heavy casting but a complete garbage. I am expecting better performance from Ben. The movie was trying to separate from movie but they just lost the plot and thrill of a suspense drama. British screenplay was smarter with sense of humour Russell Crow is not fit to a journalist character and the British counter part is far better. The editor's character was a significant in the story but in the movie that role spoiled the whole character. I suggest you to watch TV series instead this bad handled movie. Though the raise American biggest problem war against false terror. The try to shorten the story but added some unnecessary scene like cal chased by assassin.

This was a bit of a surprise hit for me as I'm not usually one for the political thrillers or Russell Crow but the well thought out, slowly unravelling (and clever) story hooked me.Lots of twists I didn't see coming as a Washington D.C congressman (Affleck) and a reporter (Crowe) become locked on a dangerous collision course when the journalist starts investigating a case involving the murder of a congressional aide and his old college friend. Conspiracy theories, corporate cover-ups, informants and billions of dollars are about to be uncovered.I enjoyed Crow in this toned down role along with his ambitious protégé Rachel McAdams. Ben Affleck does a decent job too. Actually the entire cast was fantastic, including Robin Wright, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis. I couldn't single out any one great performance. A well thought out thriller. 06.13 (2)