State of Play (2009)
82%RT Audience Score: 73%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 4 nominations
A taut, well-acted political thriller, State of Play overcomes some unsubtle plot twists with an intelligent script and swift direction
State of Play is like a newspaper that’s been left out in the rain – it’s a bit soggy and not as exciting as it could be. But hey, it’s still a decent read. The cast is great, with Russell Crowe and Rachel McAdams delivering solid performances. And while the story may not be groundbreaking, it’s still a fun ride. So grab some popcorn and settle in for a night of political intrigue and newspaper nostalgia.
Production Company(ies)
Animal Kingdom, Traction Media,
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
612 S Flower Street, Los Angeles, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for some violence, language including sexual references, and brief drug content
Year of Release
2009
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:DTS Dolby Digital SDDS
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:2h 7m
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Language(s):English, Cantonese
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Apr 17, 2009 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 7, 2010
Genre(s)
Crime/Mystery & thriller
Keyword(s)
starring Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Dame Helen Mirren, Robin Wright, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels, Viola Davis, Harry Lennix, Michael Jace, David Harbour, Sarah Lord, Wendy Makkena, Maria Thayer, Josh Mostel, Barry Shabaka Henley, Kevin Corrigan, Kelly AuCoin, Harry L Seddon, Jr., directed by Kevin Macdonald, written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray, produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Andrew Hauptman, reviewed by Deborah Ross, Candice Frederick, Joshua Rothkopf, Jordan Hoffman, Sandra Hall, Jake Wilson, Niall Browne, David Walsh, Mike Massie, Jason Best, Mattie Lucas, PG-13, Crime/Mystery & Thriller, Drama, box office gross $37.0M, budget unknown
Worldwide gross: $87,812,371
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $121,366,420
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 929
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 13,235,160
US/Canada gross: $37,017,955
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $51,162,913
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,059
US/Canada opening weekend: $14,071,280
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $19,448,067
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 670
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $60,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $82,926,643
Production budget ranking: 506
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $44,655,997
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$6,216,221
ROI to date (est.): -5%
ROI ranking: 1,423
Ben Affleck – Stephen Collins
Rachel McAdams – Della Frye
Dame Helen Mirren – Cameron Lynne
Robin Wright – Anne Collins
Jason Bateman – Dominic Foy
Director(s)
Kevin Macdonald
Writer(s)
Matthew Michael Carnahan, Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray
Producer(s)
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Andrew Hauptman
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 4 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (216) | Top Critics (72) | Fresh (182) | Rotten (34)
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.
August 29, 2018
Deborah Ross
The Spectator
TOP CRITIC
This film was well worth the wait.
September 12, 2017 | Rating: A
Candice Frederick
Reel Talk Online
TOP CRITIC
November 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
Joshua Rothkopf
Time Out
TOP CRITIC
Kevin Macdonald’s State of Play has, in fact, everything you need to tell a great journalist’s story, except a great story.
August 11, 2009 | Rating: C-
Jordan Hoffman
UGO
TOP CRITIC
It’s really a story about the romance of newspapers and a good one – part of a tradition that goes all the way back to Ben Hecht and The Front Page. It may also mark the genre’s end.
May 31, 2009 | Rating: 4/5
Sandra Hall
Sydney Morning Herald
TOP CRITIC
State of Play succeeds as mainstream entertainment to the point where it hardly makes sense to complain about its pulled political punches.
May 29, 2009 | Rating: 3/5
Jake Wilson
The Age (Australia)
TOP CRITIC
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.
March 17, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Niall Browne
Movies in Focus
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.
February 13, 2021
David Walsh
World Socialist Web Site
Makes investigative journalism feel as exciting, dangerous, brutal, and immoral as political corruption and corporate espionage.
November 29, 2020 | Rating: 6/10
Mike Massie
Gone With The Twins
State of Play doesn’t join the pantheon of great newspaper movies, but it is nevertheless an enthralling and intelligent thriller.
November 22, 2020
Jason Best
Movie Talk
A fine example of what studio filmmaking should be.
June 5, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/4
Mattie Lucas
The Dispatch (Lexington, NC)
A smart and intriguing thriller that features a quality cast and some nice dramatic moments.
May 16, 2019 | Rating: B
Micheal Compton
Bowling Green Daily News…
Plot
A petty thief is gunned down in an alley and a Representative’s assistant (Maria Thayer) falls in front of a subway, two seemingly unrelated deaths. But not to wisecracking, brash newspaper reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe), who spies a conspiracy waiting to be uncovered. With a turbulent past connected to the Representative and the aid of ambitious young rookie writer Della Frye (Rachel McAdams), Cal begins uprooting clues that lead him to a corporate cover-up full of insiders, informants, and assassins. But as he draws closer to the truth, the relentless journalist must decide if it’s worth risking his life and selling his soul to get the ultimate story.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, and Jason Bateman star in this political thriller.
Kevin-Macdonald.jpg
