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. But when his congressional aide is killed, his old college friend, a Washington D.C. journalist, starts investigating the case, and it's involving him.
The three screenwriters may have been trying to work too many plot strands into two hours; in any case, State of Play is both overstuffed and inconclusive.
As a former reporter and a fervent believer that we need good, independent newspapers to do their jobs keeping government and business in check, I think they got the journalism right.
Los Angeles Times
April 17, 2009
A meandering movie that sometimes hits dead center and sometimes misfires dismally, resulting in a drama more tangled than taut.
Despite the clichéd nature of much of the dialogue and the derivative thriller set-ups, 'State of Play' provides sufficient old-fashioned entertainment value to justify the ticket.
