Review – State of Play

I’d hoped for more journalism nerd stuff. Or more espionage intrigue. Or more anything, really. Instead this is an expensive mess that appears to put most of its money on Russell Crowe’s weight gain to establish gravitas. He plays a jaded reporter paired up with a “new journalism” cub on the trail of a double shooting, a mysterious “accident” and a Congressional sex scandal, all of which turn out to be connected. The plot is galling in that “it’s all a big corporate conspiracy” is all the explanation the filmmakers seem to think we need. Still, the prize for worst element has to go to Ben Afleck as the wayward Congressman. During a hearing he breaks into a broad reheat of his Keith Olbermann impression that’s nothing short of embarrassing. Mildly amusing