Movie Reivew: "State of Play

This is a film play based on a 6 part BBC miniseries from 2003. Russell Crowe plays a veteran reporter with a large DC newspaper investigating the death of a congressional aide. Ben Affleck plays the congressman in question who is also a friend and old college roommate of Russell Crowe. Helen Mirren plays hardball editor of the DC newspaper. The plot spins about the simultaneous apparently random murder of two people in a Washington alley, the murder of a congressional aide and political intrigue involving a large powerful overseas security farm that is thinly patterned after Blackwater of North Carolina.

The action was fast moving and not entirely predictable. The story intelligent, but essential details are barely covered in the time provided.

A portly Russell Crowe adequately portrays his character. Ben Affleck’s performance is marginally convincing. Helen Mirren is- well- Helen Mirren. She was great.