Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

State of Play is a pretty interesting political thriller about some reporters uncovering a murder plot used to discredit a congressman who is investigating multi-billion dollar military contracts. It stars Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, and Rachel McAdams.

The movie opens with a young man running through the streets, sliding over car hoods, and eventually hiding behind some garbage cans. It's obvious he is evading someone, and that becomes more apparent when a gunman pops him twice with a silenced pistol. When a pizza delivery guy happens to ride by at the wrong time, he gets popped twice, but lives. Soon thereafter, a pretty young redhead is killed when she ‘falls' in front of a speeding subway train.

Ben Affleck plays a congressman who is heading up an investigation into the goings-on of a military contractor that is negotiating a deal with the government to more or less take over and privatize national security. The young redhead was his lead researcher in the investigation. The two were also having an affair. At first, they think the girl committed suicide, then it seems like maybe some goons with the contractor had her killed in order to bring the affair to light and discredit the congressman.

Russell Crowe plays the newspaper reporter who works the story from the angle of being the former roommate of Affleck's character. Rachel McAdams is also a reporter working on the story, and together they uncover an incredibly intricate plot that unfolds at a pace that only happens in the movies. Both their lives are threatened, some more people die, and there's a highly skilled hitman on their tail. When people get in the way of billions of dollars, as one character puts it, "That is ‘wrath of God' money."

I don't know what's up with Russell Crowe, but he looked like Eddie Vedder (plus 30 pounds) in this movie. He's lumpy, has a grubby beard, and a mid-90's grunge rocker hairdo that at first had me wondering what year this movie took place in. Brad Pitt was originally cast for Crowe's role, but delays forced him out of the project and Crowe took over. I think this movie might have done better at the box office if Crowe had cleaned up a little bit. He still gives a good performance, but he always does that.

Ben Affleck is good as the politician with more problems than he can handle. I did like the irony of his clean cut looks versus Crowe's grunge thing and how their outward appearances were total opposites of the man underneath. Rachel McAdams makes her role more than just eye candy, and she has a couple of strong scenes as the young but determined reporter caught up in a story bigger than she might have expected. Thank God there were no romantic subplots between her and Crowe. Helen Mirren has a small supporting role as their tormented editor, and Robin Wright used-to-be-Penn plays Affleck's wife.

This movie is actually a remake of a BBC miniseries made in 2003. The screenplay was adapted by three great screenwriters, including Tony Gilroy who adapted the three Bourne movies, Billy Ray who wrote and directed Breach and Shattered, and Matthew Michael Carnahan who wrote The Kingdom. It was directed by Kevin Macdonald, who previously did The Last King of Scotland and won an Oscar for the documentary One Day in September.

In the end, I think State of Play is worth seeing. It's very tightly paced and should satisfy fans of these type thrillers where a bunch of people are caught up in a giant plot that spells ruin for most everyone involved.

Recommended: Yes

Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older