A Slowly Satisfying State of Affairs

State of Play.

Advertisements around award seasons often say things like "a sleeper hit", "surprise smash", "amazing ensemble" etc. State of Play manages to be all those things but also is a kick in the pants at the same time. In other words it was wonderfully fantastic.

Very few pieces I've ever shelled out cash (or in this case allowed my handsome escort for the night to dish out for) have ever intrigued me as much as State of Play. I hadn't heard too much about it other than some blurbs on the cast. And thank goodness because it was one of those great cinematic moments where you experience the film as it happens. My major issue with film today isn't necessarily the overused plots, overpaid/under-talented talent or focus on quality of computer graphics over content. No really what I think is slowly spoiling films as a whole is the press junkets, reveal all previews and dead horse beating round of interviews on both morning and late talk shows the weeks following a premiere. It is these things that start to suck the magic marrow right out of the film tin.

Thankfully State of Play indeed played its cards right by keeping itself just under the radar. The casting is a wet dream for anyone seriously into good acting. They managed to draw enough talent to put the bottoms in the seats. Russell Crowe brings the drama and intrigue, Helen Mirren gets you your Oscar crowd and older brackett, Rachel McAdams gets you all of your young men and serious admiring film women, Ben Affleck gets you those former Bennifer lovers and those intrigued if he can do anything other than mediocre rom-coms. Then you toss in a mix of the great B to A list character actors of the day, Viola Davis, Jeff Daniels, Jason Bateman and Robin Wright Penn. Could it get any better? Oh yes, my film darlings it can. Not only does the casting do wonders but the script has more brilliant tension and twists than well any other cliche I could put on the end of this sentence. It's only fault I can find is that it is not an original script. But if you are going to adapt anything you might as well adapt from the BBC because its hard to go wrong there. But considering Brad Pitt was first choice to be the lead.....that fault is overlooked by the wonderful recasting!

If you fail to see this movie I assure you that you fail to see one of the handful of truly excellent dramas for the 2000's.