State of Play: A Review

State of Play is a new film by Kevin Macdonald, a fast paced, intelligent thriller full of tension and boasting an impressive cast. A timeless film whilst playing homage to the 70’s thriller.

Macdonald, previously known for Touching the Void and more recently The Last King of Scotland, has remade Paul Abbott’s BBC series and moved it to Washington with the added luxuries of a Hollywood budget. A twisting and turning tale of investigative journalism, politics and the unravelling of corruption at the highest level makes for intense and exciting viewing.  

The plot revolves around Russell Crowes character, Cal McAffrey, a nonconformist journalist. Whilst reporting on a homicide of a drug user, a young, pretty political researcher is thrown onto the subway tracks. A conspiracy theory arises when McAffrey’s old school mate Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) becomes tangled in a slurring campaign following her death and the revelation of an affair. A power hungry corporate firm are apposed to Collins and he fights them head on in a sinister political battle. McAffrey and his keen new sidekick, Della, played by Rachel McAdams continually chase the truth for their story with constant pressure from the stressed out editor, played by Helen Mirren. 

With the number of A-list stars in the film, it makes you wonder if the adaption will purely be a sanitised version of the original. Hollywood have a way of transforming all genre of film into new, big, brash self satisfied emotional rollercoasters without all the quirks of the originals. Not the case as the actors work well together and provide a credible equivalent. Inevitably elements are missed from the adaptation of a six part series into a film, like some characters being cut out, but on the whole it feels a complimentary version. 

Crowe presents a charming protagonist whilst making journalism look sexy. The character’s masculinity and renegade approach make modern day journalism akin to the work of a hard boiled detective of 50’s Film Noir. Swigging from a whiskey bottle, smoking, setting up recording devices and getting shot at, form part of his everyday job.

Remakes frequently fall victim to scrutiny on comparison with their original and often more memorable counterparts. In this instance the Hollywood version embellishes a great story on a much bigger budget to a new generation of thrill seekers, including a huge stateside audience who undoubtedly would not have seen the original