State of Play is a very tricky movie. It has more twists than a pretzel. Bill Crider suggested that it should be called Russell Crowe’s Bad Haircut and I have to admit it’s distracting. Crowe plays a scruffy reporter for a Washington, D.C. newspaper. He’s investigating the mysterious death of a Congressional staffer. So is the fetching Rachel McAdams. And Helen Mirren is the Iron Maiden managing Editor. There’s good acting here to burn. This movie is based on a BBC mini-series which I’ll review tomorrow. Until then, if you’re in the mood for a suspenseful thriller, State of Play is the movie to see. GRADE: B+.
As a fan of the original miniseries I don’t see:
1. why they needed to remake this (other than Hollywood’s total lack of originality – see the forthcoming Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 remake with Denzel & Travolta)
2. how they could compress it to two hours
3. why I need to see it.
All the reviews I read singled out Jason Bateman’s performance, by the way.
Why should you see the U.S. version of State of Play? For starters, Rachel McAdams. Also, there’s a lot more suspense and tension than in the mini-series. Jason Bateman’s performance as the smarmy PR agent is a classic performance.
My husband saw it without me last night (I had a meeting). He loved it. On his 10 point scale, he gave it an 8.
You are so lucky to live near Niagara on the Lake. We come up there every few years. The plays aren’t as good as the ones at Stratford but I prefer the area because of the wineries, the countryside, and the Falls. Lots of good restaurants.
You’ll really like State of Play. My B+ translates to an “8” in your husband’s scale so we have similar critical scales. We try to get to as many Shaw Festival plays as we can. You have an open invitation to dinner whenever you’re in our area.
And likewise, if you are ever in Detroit. But what are the chances of that!
The chances I’ll be in Detroit anytime soon are slim to none. But thank you for your kind offer.