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State of Play

6.6

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Remake of:

State of Play (TV Miniseries)

Original title

State of Play

Year

2009

Running time

127 min.

Country

United States

Director

Kevin Macdonald

Screenwriter

Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray, Paul Abbott. Remake: Paul Abbott

Cast

Music

Alex Heffes

Cinematography

Rodrigo Prieto

Producer

Co-production United States-United Kingdom;

Universal Pictures, Working Title Films, Studiocanal, Relativity Studios, Andell Entertainment

Genre

Thriller. Mystery. Drama | Journalism. Remake

Synopsis

Based on the BBC mini-series of the same title, a team of investigative reporters work alongside a police detective to try and solve the murder of a congressman's mistress. D.C. investigative journalist Cal McCaffrey's (Russell Crowe) street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures. Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party's contender for the upcoming presidential race -- until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

McCaffrey has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and ruthless editor from Washington Globe, Cameron (Helen Mirren), who has assigned him to investigate. As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer's identity, McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation's power structures. And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one's integrity, love or life is ever safe.

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Rankings Position

#111 Best Remakes in the history of film

Critics' reviews

"This efficient, admirably coherent thriller (...) has a wistful air about it as regards the fourth estate at a time when the profession is dangling by a thread."

Todd McCarthy: Variety
"A smart, ingenious thriller (...) It has a great takeoff, levels nicely, and then seems to land on autopilot (...) Rating: ★★★ (out of 4)"

Roger Ebert: rogerebert.com
"It’s tricky, it’s surprising, and it’s largely faithful to the original mini-series, but in context it’s a nonevent. It’s like a time bomb that’s never dismantled but never explodes"

David Edelstein: New York Magazine
"A superficially clever, self-important and finally incoherent thriller."

A. O. Scott: The New York Times
"Features a handsome production and terrific performances."

Ann Hornaday: The Washington Post
"If a thriller with the verve, fire, and — yes — the timely substance of 'State of Play' can't catch on, then movies for grown-ups may well prove to be as endangered as newspapers"

Owen Gleiberman: Entertainment Weekly
"State of Play is the latest incoherently written, mass-entertainment gibberish by the overrated Tony Gilroy. (...) bearing the burden of the same smart-aleck Gilroy trademarks (...) labored plot twists hammered to death by a storm of clichés."

Rex Reed: The New York Observer
"An effectively involving journalism-cum-conspiracy yarn with a bang-bang opening and a frantic closer."

J. Hoberman: Village Voice

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Ranking Lists Position

44 My Top 10 Movies from 2009 (93)

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State of Play

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