State of Play

PG-13

Released Apr 17, 2009

2 hr. 7 min.

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

List

84%

216 Reviews

Tomatometer

73%

100,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is a rising star in Washington; handsome, unflappable and seemingly honorable, he's seen as his party's next presidential nominee. Until, however, his research assistant/mistress is found murdered and damaging secrets come pouring out. Journalist Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), Collins' old friend, must investigate the murder, and walks headlong into a massive cover-up involving some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures.

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Critics Consensus

A taut, well-acted political thriller, State of Play overcomes some unsubtle plot twists with an intelligent script and swift direction.

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Test T

I watched this on DVD. It's not all bad, but they should have spent a little more on some decent lighting so that the audience would be able to see what is going on! As it is, the whole thing is far too dim. Russel Crowe is playing a journalist, but how he ever manages to see well enough to write anything is the real mystery. The press office he works at is illuminated like a cave at night and I'd be surprised if he managed to find his desk, let alone see to write a story. You may have guessed by now that I've (not!) seen this kind of movie before, and it really annoys me. Why make the film at all if you can't see it properly? It could have been made as a radio play for much less money, and then no one would complain. I don't recommend this movie because trying to watch it gave me eye strain and lots of frustration.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/23/24

Full Review

Karl N

Good story. Well acted.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/10/24

Full Review

Musical F

Decent ride, Russell Crowe crushes it and baby faced Ben Affleck is good too. Solid twist at the end.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

09/09/23

Full Review

Whirled P

SPOILER ALERT - but the ending completely lost the plot ... and rendered the entire movie a giant waste of time. This movie, like the media it portrays, misses the point.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

09/15/23

Full Review

Lon A

Good plot and well acted. I enjoyed it.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/06/23

Full Review

Lanfranco C

The end is disappointing.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

06/03/23

Full Review

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Kevin Macdonald

Director

Russell Crowe

Cal McAffrey

Ben Affleck

Stephen Collins

Rachel McAdams

Della Frye

Helen Mirren

Cameron Lynne

Robin Wright

Anne Collins

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

State of Play is well put together and has some intelligence but it's just not very interesting or exciting or gripping for most of the time.

Aug 29, 2018

Full Review

Candice Frederick

Reel Talk Online

This film was well worth the wait.

Rated: A

Sep 12, 2017

Full Review

Joshua Rothkopf

Time Out

Rated: 4/5

Nov 17, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

A serviceable movie, but it’s the performances that carry the experience.

Rated: 3/4

Dec 1, 2023

Full Review

Niall Browne

Movies in Focus

State of Play is a classy piece of Hollywood filmmaking that delivers an entertaining two hours in the cinema and features enjoyable star performances from Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck and Rachel McAdams.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 17, 2021

Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

State of Play entertains, but every film genre, including the thriller, would be improved vastly by a more coherent and insightful grasp of the way society actually works.

Feb 13, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is a rising star in Washington; handsome, unflappable and seemingly honorable, he's seen as his party's next presidential nominee. Until, however, his research assistant/mistress is found murdered and damaging secrets come pouring out. Journalist Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), Collins' old friend, must investigate the murder, and walks headlong into a massive cover-up involving some of the nation's most promising political and corporate figures.

Director: Kevin Macdonald
Executive Producer: Paul Abbott, E. Bennett Walsh, Liza Chasin, Debra Hayward
Screenwriter: Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray
Distributor: Universal Pictures
Production Co: Andell Entertainment, Bevan-Fellner
Rating: PG-13 (Language|Brief Drug Content|Sexual References|Some Violence)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 19, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $37.0M

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