At the Movies with Fatwayne

Big business, sleazy politicians, murder and corruption are the things we read about every day in the newspapers. This is also the story line of State of Play. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the chair of the committee overseeing defense spending and he has an aide who is his lead investigator. In addition to her job she is also romantically involved with the Congressman. Unfortunately for her, on her way to work the day of the hearings she falls (or is pushed)  in front of a train and is killed.

Meanwhile we have a reporter for the Washington Globe who is a former dorm mate of Cong. Collins. He is a grizzled old reporter named Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe). When things point to the affair and the possibility that the aide’s murder may be linked to others, Cal’s interest is aroused. He enlists the aid of a new reporter, Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) in his attempt to beat the police to the story.

As they dig deeper, they come to suspect that a very powerful defense contractor, PointCorp, may be in someway involved. They really know how to ferret out a story and before long they realize that this may go way beyond what they had initially suspected. Things get really tense when attempts are made on Cal’s life and he realizes that PointCorp has a cadre of exmilitary hit men on their payroll and that their influence may actually reach all the way to the halls of Congress.

Despite cover-ups, pressure from the paper, loyalties and danger, our reporters stay with their hunches and are rewarded with the story. It’s a good movie and a lot of fun to watch Crowe as he once again “becomes” the character he portrays.

For exciting quotes go to http://www.tvmoviequotes.com/stateofplay.htm

Rated – PG 13 -

Fatwayne’s rating –  -