Review: "State of Play"

April is usually a pretty lifeless time of the year for movies, the period between the prestige Oscar contenders of the fall and the action-packed blockbusters of the summer. But this year, director Kevin Macdonald offers audiences a refreshingly intelligent and engaging thriller with “State of Play.”

Based on the 2003 BBC miniseries, “State of Play” opens with the death of Sonia Baker, an aide to U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck). When it is revealed that Stephen and Sonia were having an affair, Stephen turns to his old friend Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) for help.

Sonia’s death is ruled a suicide but Stephen believes it was murder, so Cal, a veteran crime reporter at The Washington Globe, decides to investigate the matter further. As he begins to dig deeper into the case, Cal butts heads with Della Frye, a young new reporter who has been covering the case for the Globe’s politics blog.

When a double murder Cal has been reporting on turns out to be related to Sonia’s murder, Cal and Della decide to join forces to uncover the truth. After days of digging, Cal and Della realize the case is bigger than they both expected and may be related to an intricate corporate conspiracy.

“State of Play” is more than two hours long, but the time passes by quickly between all of the plot twists. The murder case is complex and the film’s pace is consistently intense, so there is never a moment when the audience is not engaged. In addition to the exciting main action, the film also raises some insightful questions about the ethics and morality of politics and journalism.

This film’s ability to combine enticing action, strong character development and intelligent and thought-provoking themes should come as no surprise given the screenwriters behind it. Matthew Michael Carnahan (“The Kingdom”), Tony Gilroy (“Michael Clayton”) and Billy Ray (“Breach,” “Shattered Glass”) have just the right blend of styles and experiences to create this kind of involved political thriller.

Director Macdonald, whose last major release was “The Last King of Scotland” in 2006, is also a good fit for this film. His use of the shaky, handheld camera lends itself well to the film’s intensity and emphasizes the urgency of solving the case quickly. Macdonald pays careful attention to the plot’s details but still keeps the pace moving.

The film also benefits from an all-star cast. Crowe’s and Affleck’s respective cynicism and charm balance each other well, and Cal and Stephen are both multi-layered and well-developed characters. Affleck had a string of career flops prior to his comeback as a director with 2007’s “Gone Baby Gone,” and it’s nice to see him step back into more substantial roles in front of the camera.

McAdams gives a strong supporting performance as Della, and she and Crowe have a nice dynamic as a seasoned journalist and his fresh-faced protégé. Helen Mirren is tough in her role as Cameron Lynne, the Globe’s editor, but her dry wit also eases the tension and offers a few laughs. Jason Bateman also stands out in an uncharacteristically dark role as Dominic Foy, who is part sleazy public relations representative and part bisexual fetishist.

“State of Play” could have awards potential, but unfortunately since it was released in the first half of the year, it will likely follow the path of 2007’s “Zodiac” and come up short at Oscar time. But even though this film may be ignored by the Academy, it shouldn’t be ignored by audiences. A-