State of Play, a review in three parts: it’s a thriller, it’s brilliantly acted, and it’s fun.

How thrilling is this thriller? Very. Adapted from a British mini-series, State of Play, is like a love letter to the newspaper industry. It follows around Cal McAffery, played by Russell Crowe, a veteran journalist, and an old boy on the circuit, as he begins to unravel a series of scandals and conspiracies. The scandals center around McAffery’s college roommate and friend Senator Stephen Collins, played by Ben Affleck. The depths of the scandals, the twists and turns, and the high-tension chase scenes are all incredibly well done. Being adapted into a feature-length film from a mini-series I’m sure forced them to cut a lot of corners but the plot still comes out strong. Unlike some thrillers, it makes sense once you put the pieces together, and it works.

Crowe and Affleck are both stellar in their performances. Crowe, as an old school reporter is just anti-social enough to be believable but not over the top. The introduction  a young journalist from the “online side” of the newspaper played by Rachel McAdams, who finds herself working with Crow, works very well. Perhaps their relationship is a little under-developed but once you get into the thick of the movie, you forget just how short of a period of time they’ve known each other. And if you thought this cast wasn’t stacked enough already, add Helen Mirren, one of the great ones, as Crowe and McAdams’ boss, and editor of the newspaper. She’s brilliant in the role, of course, as the stressed out editor, under pressure from a decaying business model.

Finally, this movie is fun. Possibly the best thriller I’ve seen in a long time it has action, excitement and enough intrigue to keep you guessing up until the very end. As a love letter, it works: it brings you deep into the world of investigative journalism, into the thick of the newsroom, and says, “See, we’re important!” That’s fun, and that’s true too. It’s critique of privatized security companies (i.e., Blackwater in Iraq), which figures into the conspiracy aspect of the plot, is poignant but still subtle enough as to not be unbelievable or too heavy-handed. It’s realistic and that’s what I like about the whole film: it’s real. It’s a pretty realistic, modern thriller and it’s a lot of fun. I’d recommend it without a doubt.

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