Rachel Mcadams Movie:

		List Price: $39.98		Label: Universal Studios Salesrank: 4453 Released: September 1, 2009
		Our Price: $15.75
		Used Price: $13.27
		MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested) Media: Blu-ray

Editorial Review:
Academy Award®-winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast, including Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams & Helen Mirren in the blistering thriller about deception, manipulation & corruption. When D.C. Reporter Cal McCaffrey (Crowe) is assigned to investigate the murder of an assistant to an up-and-coming politician (Affleck), he uncovers a conspiracy that threatens to bring down the nation’s power structures. In a town of spin-doctors and wealthy power brokers, he will discover one truth: when fortunes are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is safe. From director Kevin Macdonald of The Last King of Scotland, State of Play brings together gripping performances, riveting suspense and is “sophisticated, intelligent and powerful” (Shawn Edwards, Fox-TV).

Description of State of Play [Blu-ray]:
The superlative British miniseries becomes a smart, soap opera-free film courtesy The Last King of Scotland's Kevin Macdonald. His writers, including Tony Gilroy (the Bourne series) and Billy Ray (Breach), haven't simply condensed and Americanized the six-hour series--they've reinvented it. Now set in Washington D.C., veteran journalist Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe, replacing Brad Pitt, who dropped out over script changes) still collaborates with editor Cameron Lynne (a delectably imperious Helen Mirren) and junior reporter Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) on a story involving Cal's politico pal, Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck), but there's a new subtext behind their plunge into sex scandals and corporate malfeasance, since this State of Play also eulogizes old-school beat reporting, and in interviews, Macdonald has acknowledged the influence of newsprint classics like All the President's Men (the Watergate Hotel even shows up as a location). So, while Cal and Della, the Globe’s blogger, try to determine whether the congressman’s aide Sonia (with whom he was having an affair) died at her own hands or the hands of another, they're also fighting for their careers and the survival of their ailing paper. Stephen's political rival Senator Fergus (Jeff Daniels), does his best to stymie their efforts, but PR flack Dominic Foy (Jason Bateman) becomes a reluctant ally. Though fans of the series may miss a few characters, like Cameron's son (played by James McAvoy in the BBC version), Oscar-winning documentarian-turned-filmmaker Macdonald remains true to its spirit. Be sure to stay through the poignant end credits, during which he returns to his doc roots. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Stills from State of Play (Click for larger image)

State of Play [Blu-ray] Reviews:
Leftist fantasy, or, Where can I get my money back?
2009-11-08 - This film was released in April 2009 and therefore was presumably filmed before Barack Obama assumed office as president. This timeline excuses (explained below), to a certain degree, the leftist paranoia on display in this film. Nevertheless, this film should offend level-headed viewers on many points:

First, Crowe plays a reporter in the Woodward and Bernstein mold for the Washington Globe, a fictional representation of the Washington Post. He and his editor are presented to the viewer as embodiments of street-savvy, truth-seekers, when of course, in reality, the truth about reporters and the Post is quite different.

Second, a sharp attack is leveled in this film against bloggers - they are people who "up-chuck" on the Internet -; bloggers are juxtaposed as fact-less mudslingers undermining the teetering-bastions of truth which are America's largest and most liberal newspapers. In the world I occupy, most of the truth I find is most definitely not in the mainstream media, but instead in alternate media, such as on blogs. Why do mainstream news publishers think they are losing readers like rats leaving a sinking ship if their readers actually think those publishers are their most reliable sources of truth? This is left-wing paranoia/fantasy.

Third, hopefully it is evident to the filmmakers now, with President Obama now in control of General Motors, Chrysler, and numerous major financial institutions; with him and fellow Democrats trying to take over 1/6th of the U.S. economy (health-care), and hold 100% of the economy by the throat (cap and trade) that Americans have far more to fear from leftists, regarding government overreach, than they do from right-wingers, fantastically portrayed in this film as trying to establish a reign by Brownshirt's through contracting with organizations like Blackwater.

As another reviewer here put it - this is a film overburdened with leftist tropes.


Abbreviated version of the BBC series
2009-11-03 - This movie is 2 hour version of the BBC series by the same name. Peppered with many accomplished international movie stars it gives this film special allure. However, I have seen BBC series and I liked series better, because it allowed characters to be better developed and complex. In any case, it is a very interesting political thriller about love hate relationship between corporate world and politics, politics and journalism and how personal relationships fit into all of that.

They really DON'T make them like this anymore.
2009-11-02 - This is a fine example of a dying species - the literate adult thriller. Russell Crowe is wonderful, the script is tight, the overview of the imperiled newspaper industry provides a timely and fascinating backdrop, and the film doesn't stick around any longer than needed. Very entertaining, and illustrates the short-sightedness of the studios for moving away from solid enterainment and towards the dreaded "tentpole" spectacles. Recommended.

Heroism and Curiosty from Behind a Desk
2009-10-31 - This review is primarily for the folks that follow my stuff, which includes, apart from all the non-fiction books, great DVDs for serious people with little patience for most idiocy.

I watched this on a flight to Europe and it was fully satisfying.

In this genre see also:
Conspiracy Theory (Keepcase)
The Pelican Brief (Snap Case)

Other films featuring Russell Crowe I have liked:
A Beautiful Mind (Full Screen Awards Edition)
Gladiator (Widescreen Edition)
Master and Commander - The Far Side of the World (Widescreen Edition)
Cinderella Man (Full Screen Edition)

State Of Play
2009-10-30 - Excellent Flik! "State Of Play," is a thrilling movie and ranks right up there with other thrillers in this genre. Kevin Macdonald has an outstanding cast of players in which to work with and the screenplay is well written, as to keep one involved from scene-to- scene without loosing his audience. Captivating, smartly acted; Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams are intensely convincing. The chemistry between each one of the major actors was the key factor that made this movie work and move me in my theater seat. The transfer of this movie to blu-ray ;ie, picture quality, sound and aspect ratio is spectacular.It's definetely a keeper and worth purchasing it.State of Play [Blu-ray]