Film Review: State of Play
It’s been ages since this site has seen an update, but today it’s finally time for a new review. Yesterday I saw the movie State of Play, and apparently I cared just enough to sit down and type up a brief review. Now, keep in mind I haven’t seen the BBC series this film was based on, so I’m reviewing it from the perspective of someone fresh to the franchise (if you can call it that).
If you’re expecting an action film that you can enjoy while mindlessly munching some popcorn, think again. You’ll want to pay attention to what happens throughout, since the plot is very thick in this one. It’s refreshing to see a Hollywood thriller (with British roots, but still) that’s so heavy on plot, but sometimes it feels as if they’ve crammed a bit too much into 2 hours. That’s not altogether surprising, since the series it was based on is thrice as long. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I feel I’ve missed during the first viewing.
The story itself is decent enough, but it sets itself up for a much more epic ending, ultimately letting its viewers down. It’s a story of corporate conspiracy (also refreshing: a Hollywood film that, at least cursorily, criticizes corporate America) and a heroic reporter getting to the bottom of it all. Again, it’s refreshing to see how Russell Crowe’s character is cast as a star reporter in every sense of the word. Journalists as good guys, yay! Although… in this film it’s taken to ridiculous extremes. Everyone knows this journalist, and everyone seems to like or at least respect him. He’s not a star reporter, but a rock star reporter. Not very realistic, but then this is film. And films aren’t always realistic.
Not that that’s bad, of course. During the first hour (and a half) or so, State of Play looks to offer a delicious plot, full of intrigue and a conspiracy that goes all the way to the top. Unfortunately though, the ending then decides to be totally realistic. There’s no conspiracy after all. How sad. It seems that for those grandiose, over the top plots, you’re better off watching an episode of Spooks. This is not where it’s at.
Still, it’s a decent enough movie, even if at times it suffers from that typical teal and orange look. Worth a watch if you’re tired of standard Hollywood fare and are looking for something slightly more intellectual. Though it wouldn’t surprise me if you’d be better off watching the BBC series it was based on instead.
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