State of Play

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  • Opened April 17, 2009 
  • 1 hr 58 min
  • PG-13 | brief drug content, some violence, sexual references and language

  • Parents: Common Sense Media says Iffy for 14+. More on child suitability

  • Oscar® winner Russell Crowe leads an all-star cast in a blistering thriller about a rising congressman and an investigative journalist embroiled in an case of seemingly unrelated, brutal murders. Crowe plays D.C. reporter Cal McCaffrey, whose street smarts lead him to untangle a mystery of murder and collusion among some of the nation’s most promising political and corporate figures in State of Play, from acclaimed director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland).

    Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending. All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party’s contender for the upcoming presidential race. Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

    Full synopsis

  • Cast: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels
  • Director: Kevin Macdonald
  • Genres: Suspense/Thriller

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64 out of 100
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Critic Reviews

100
Premiere
|

This is a smart script. There is a wealth of twists, but none of them have to beat you over the head. Read full review

91
Entertainment Weekly
| Owen Gleiberman

Spins a thorny tale of political corruption laced with personal sleaze. Read full review

88
Philadelphia Inquirer
| Carrie Rickey

Acting-wise, the showstopper is Jason Bateman, with a diabolically entertaining turn as a smarmy PR man remarkably free with confidential information. Read full review

75
Rolling Stone
| Peter Travers

Affleck may strike you as off-putting at first, hitting wrong emotional notes, but hang on. State of Play keeps the twists coming. Read full review

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Helen Mirren as Cameron Lynne, Rachel Mcadams as Della Frye and Russell Crowe as Cal McCaffrey in "State of Play."