May 26, 2012

Video Views Pick: State of Play

by Art Slavin | Published September 1, 2009

Robin Wright Penn and Russell Crowe star in State of Play (2009).

directed by Kevin Macdonald
PG-13; 127 minutes

Last night a petty thief and a pizza guy were shot down. This morning the assistant (and mistress) to Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) fell in front of a subway train. Or was she pushed? And what do last night’s killings have to do with her death?

That’s what hot-shot Washington Globe reporter Cal McCaffrey (Russell Crowe) wants to find out. And Cal has more invested than just the story… he and Collins were college roommates, and he’s also smitten with Collins’ wife (Robin Wright Penn). So, in spite of pressure from his boss (Helen Mirren), but with the help of an idealistic rookie reporter (Rachel McAdams), he throws himself into an investigation full of danger. Congressman Collins is heading a committee looking into the background and motives of a gigantic government contractor and strongly suspects that they are involved in his mistress’ murder. And Cal is obsessed with getting to the truth, no matter what! With Jason Bateman and Jeff Daniels.

DVD Extras: “Making-of” featurette; feleted scenes.

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