I watched “State of Play” over the weekend. My wife, who handles the Netflix duties in our house, thought I would enjoy it.
She was right. It’s got just about everything I like in a movie. A fast-paced narrative, lots of drama, a good story based in mystery and intrigue, and some very good acting..
And, at least for me, there was a big plus. The entire backdrop of the movie is about not only the “state of play,” and being played, but in the backdrop of a newspaper, how they operate, how stories are covered, and how decisions are made.
In particular the movie nicely zeroes in on the troubled “state” of the industry, and the pressures those who toil in it find ourselves working under each day.
Russell Crowe is a grizzled reporter who is tracking a breaking scandal involving a congressman who just happens to be his old college roommate.
The congressman has been investigating a big-time private security outfit whose tentacles have managed to reach some very high places on Capitol Hill.
But the congressman’s probe is derailed when a young female aide commits suicide. Or at least it appeared that she did.
A young blogger (Rachel McAdams) on the newspaper learns that the congressman was having an affair with the aide.
Helen Mirren does a dynamite job playing the editor, struggling to push the two reporters into a team to go after the story while holding onto some measure of journalistic integrity, all while the pressure from the paper’s new owners bears down on her.
Crowe does things the old way, through hard work and reporting. McAdams is all about the puff and celebrity that we are bombarded with every day on the Internet.
Crowe clearly has inside information on the congressman from his relationship with him – as well as his wife, who it becomes clear he was once more than just friends with.
I didn’t go to school with any congressmen, at least that I’m aware of.
And I certainly have never had an affair with the wife of a politician, or anyone else for that matter.
But I know all too well exactly what those financial pressures – as well as those journalistic questions – are like. I struggle with them every day. This blog will appear on our Web site. I also am trying to plan out tomorrow’s print edition at the same time.
I highly recommend the movie if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work in this racket.
And for Delco residents, there is an added surprise tucked into the movie.
Ben Affleck plays the troubled congressman. At one point as Crowe digs deeper and deeper into the security company’s business, it’s clear he’s rubbing some powerful people the wrong way.
The kicker comes in a confrontation with someone who knows the inner workings of the company.
I almost spit out my popcorn when I heard it. In fact I rewound the DVD just to be sure I had heard it correctly. Then I went online to research the movie.
This is basically what the guy said: “Do you really think they are going to let some congressman from the 7th District in Pennsylvania do this?”
I kid you not.
Now did we not once have a congressman in this district who knew a lot about the workings of security companies, who likely ruffled a lot of feathers in D.C. with some of his foreign policy beliefs?
Among the many things that Curt Weldon did in his 20 years in Washington was become an expert in many areas of foreign relations. Not all of those beliefs made him especially popular, even within his own party.
Anyone remember “Able Danger?”
There are 435 members of the House of Representatives. Why exactly would the makers of the movie decided to make their character from the 7th District of Pennsylvania?
I have no idea. Maybe it was a coincidence.
If so, they certainly got my attention.
Little did I realize when I sat down to watch “State of Play” that I would wind up being played in ways I had not imagined.
She was right. It’s got just about everything I like in a movie. A fast-paced narrative, lots of drama, a good story based in mystery and intrigue, and some very good acting..
And, at least for me, there was a big plus. The entire backdrop of the movie is about not only the “state of play,” and being played, but in the backdrop of a newspaper, how they operate, how stories are covered, and how decisions are made.
In particular the movie nicely zeroes in on the troubled “state” of the industry, and the pressures those who toil in it find ourselves working under each day.
Russell Crowe is a grizzled reporter who is tracking a breaking scandal involving a congressman who just happens to be his old college roommate.
The congressman has been investigating a big-time private security outfit whose tentacles have managed to reach some very high places on Capitol Hill.
But the congressman’s probe is derailed when a young female aide commits suicide. Or at least it appeared that she did.
A young blogger (Rachel McAdams) on the newspaper learns that the congressman was having an affair with the aide.
Helen Mirren does a dynamite job playing the editor, struggling to push the two reporters into a team to go after the story while holding onto some measure of journalistic integrity, all while the pressure from the paper’s new owners bears down on her.
Crowe does things the old way, through hard work and reporting. McAdams is all about the puff and celebrity that we are bombarded with every day on the Internet.
Crowe clearly has inside information on the congressman from his relationship with him – as well as his wife, who it becomes clear he was once more than just friends with.
I didn’t go to school with any congressmen, at least that I’m aware of.
And I certainly have never had an affair with the wife of a politician, or anyone else for that matter.
But I know all too well exactly what those financial pressures – as well as those journalistic questions – are like. I struggle with them every day. This blog will appear on our Web site. I also am trying to plan out tomorrow’s print edition at the same time.
I highly recommend the movie if you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to work in this racket.
And for Delco residents, there is an added surprise tucked into the movie.
Ben Affleck plays the troubled congressman. At one point as Crowe digs deeper and deeper into the security company’s business, it’s clear he’s rubbing some powerful people the wrong way.
The kicker comes in a confrontation with someone who knows the inner workings of the company.
I almost spit out my popcorn when I heard it. In fact I rewound the DVD just to be sure I had heard it correctly. Then I went online to research the movie.
This is basically what the guy said: “Do you really think they are going to let some congressman from the 7th District in Pennsylvania do this?”
I kid you not.
Now did we not once have a congressman in this district who knew a lot about the workings of security companies, who likely ruffled a lot of feathers in D.C. with some of his foreign policy beliefs?
Among the many things that Curt Weldon did in his 20 years in Washington was become an expert in many areas of foreign relations. Not all of those beliefs made him especially popular, even within his own party.
Anyone remember “Able Danger?”
There are 435 members of the House of Representatives. Why exactly would the makers of the movie decided to make their character from the 7th District of Pennsylvania?
I have no idea. Maybe it was a coincidence.
If so, they certainly got my attention.
Little did I realize when I sat down to watch “State of Play” that I would wind up being played in ways I had not imagined.
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