Reviewed by Jay on Sat April 18, 2009

State of Play provides a twist on your typical investigative reporter cracks a major story on deadline flick. Russell Crowe, a veteran crime-beat reporter at the Washington Globe, stumbles upon a connection between an execution-style shooting and the death of his college roommate’s girlfriend. The roommate turned Congressman, played by Ben Affleck, struggles to survive the media frenzy his illicit relationship unleashes while maintaining his heroic investigation into the privatization of America’s military by a powerful and connected corporation. World-weary Crowe pursues seemingly disparate leads to uncover his story and protect his friend, aided by a plucky and naïve cub reporter. Complicating the chase is an old affair between the reporter and the Congressman’s wife, a relationship that Crowe tries to keep at arm’s length throughout the film.

While the plot provides plenty of twists and turns, the subtext of the film attempts to shine a light on uncomfortable realities we face today. Lack of morality in government, corruption at all levels, greed as a motive for war, and the danger of powerful corporate interests are woven into the background and plot points. Fear of corporate influence continues as the Globe reporters try to pursue truth and justice while hamstrung by a focus on the bottom-line. Even the Internet is targeted as newspapers champion themselves as the home of real reporting, opposed to the fluff offered by online bloggers.

Overall the film is well-done, and it is refreshing to see a Washington-based film that was shot in Washington. In addition to the standard Capital and Washington monument shots, characters are seen in the actual streets and Metrorail system of the city. Anyone who lives in or has visited the nation’s capitol will recognize the pitted cement of the Metro stations and traffic-covered roadways. The plot remains exciting and continues to offer new developments until the very end. However, the build-up to the final scenes does suffer from a few logic gaps. As the key players gather and the headlines spin into being, you may scratch your head to understand how everyone knew to arrive for the final scene.

State of Play is a movie of layers. For an audience looking for a gripping thriller to spice up a Saturday night, the plot definitely delivers. Thinkers will enjoy the interwoven relationships and little moments of betrayal that serve as a backdrop to the action. And for those movie-goers who want to discuss society’s ills over coffee after the film, you will have plenty of food for thought.