The crime-solving journalist genre is a sure-bet with critics.
State of Play finds its pedigree in a rich ensemble. Russell
Crowe, looking like Jeff Bridges with his frumpy dress and grunge-era
hair, plays luddite Washington Post investigative reporter Cal
McAffrey. He’s paired with blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) to cover
a pair of murders that may link to a conspiracy to control homeland
security. A condensed American remake of the British miniseries,
State of Play has big star professionalism. But the script is
missing tension. When Hitchcock and De Palma bring heroes closer to the
source of evil, their protagonists’ lives threaten to spin out of
control. Despite a cat-and-mouse sequence in a parking garage, too much
of State of Play maintains impersonal distance. McAffrey remains
too comfortable. The story’s intriguing, but State of Play doesn’t burn hot enough for a lasting impression.
This article appears in Apr 23-29, 2009.