State of Play: Comparing Bloggers to Bloodsuckers
Affleck’s congressman was investigating the private military company at the time of his aide’s death. But now he’s not in a position to do so much as make weak apologies to his wife (Robin Wright Penn).
Apparently, Blackwater is the go-to villain du jour — Fox’s 24 is currently pinning the latest terrorist threat on a Blackwater stand-in named Starkwood, and the CBS drama Jericho also used the company for similar story requirements. Expect more films to follow their lead.
Director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland) does more than keep this thriller humming. He makes exceptional use of the D.C. settings, transforming the nation’s capital into the second most colorful character in the film.
Crowe’s Cal makes for a wonderful stand-in for the mainstream press. He’s hopelessly biased — in this case for his old college chum — and oblivious to those who call him on it. He’s a dinosaur who thinks he can still lumber around town, alternately shaking down and kissing up to sources like he’s done for ages.
But Crowe is such a fine actor, an Oscar winner who can look disheveled better than anyone this side of Columbo, that such qualms fade whenever he’s on screen.
Crowe can’t be blamed for the casting missteps here. Who thought Affleck and Crowe could play contemporaries? It’s a key component of the film, and their scenes together simply don’t work as intended. Another casting snafu makes matters worse — Wright Penn popping up as Affleck’s wife.
What dashing congressman marries a cougar in this day and age?
Helen Mirren adds some class to the proceedings as Cal’s editor, trotting out a thick British accent to deliver a few stinging rebukes. Jason Bateman is far better served by his juicy cameo as a sleazy PR agent.
There’s a whiff of corporate conspiracy behind the newspaper in question — the fictitious Washington Globe – but the subplot does little more than spike the Blackwater narrative.
State of Play is the kind of by-the-book feature in which every hunch the main characters have turns out to be prophetic. The story, credited to three writers (including talented scribes Billy Ray and Tony Gilroy), doesn’t leave enough time for any missteps, especially since it has to squeeze in one utterly implausible final twist.
The film’s credits roll over footage of a newspaper press churning out tomorrow’s edition. It’s meant as a quiet tribute to a medium on the endangered list. Yet the film itself shows reporters and editors to be arrogant and out of touch, a community so invested in getting a scoop that it doesn’t care who gets hurt along the way.
That’s hardly breaking news, but State of Play makes even obvious storylines pop off the screen.
Hey now. This is getting too personal. I only suck the blood of trolls on Wednesdays and Fridays. Sheesh!
-But, seriously, Christian Toto…what do you want from Liberal Hollyweird? Truth? Decency? Honor? Nobility? Compassion?
Oh sure, the latter [from the last few words of above paragraph] happens from time to time as long as it has a strictly liberal slant to it [preferably with anti-American overtones].
Take heart, kind soul that the internet is here for us freedom fighters. At least we have ‘this’…sooooooooooooooooooooo, let’s make the most of it eh? he-he
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz
1. Delia:
” as long as it has a strictly liberal slant to it [preferably with anti-American overtones].”
Still can’t take national self-criticism?
21st century yet?
If it wasn’t for Hollywood, we’d be believing in Santa Claus . . . Among all the crap they produce, there are some brilliant pieces.
“and, as if it were needed, more proof that Ben Affleck can’t act.”
I realized at that sentence that (in agreement with you about him) I would never finish this article or see the movie. None of these people are worthy of any attention!
Could the irony be more obvious? Mainstream journalists are no longer real journalists. They are, as Rush rightly calls them, the “drive-by media.” The typical blogger of today has far more integrity than the average MSM Obamacrat. And irony upon irony, an actor playing a journalist has as much reporter cred as any newspaper/TV hack.
I wanted the major old media to disappear into history. Bye-bye, major old media. They had way too much influences and damages to the American psyche and the political landscape.
I am surprised that Russel Crowe doesn’t have more sense than to appear in any movie with Ben Affleck.
I can’t wait… to run out and see this Hollynut tribute to a prostitute media selling professional journalism’ soul. I swear it… I’m going to tear myself away from the wasteful surfing of online bloggers providing my main source for professional news.
Afffleckkk… and Crow, how appropriate… fouling the air waves even further.
There’s a scene in the movie showing Crowe beating the tar out of Afflect with a telephone….
I’m sure they’re only mocking the online journalism that isn’t left-biased and controlled.
Hasn’t the left said that they won the election through use of internet and the online society, and that the right didn’t have a clue as to how to use the internet for politics?
So if online journalism is bad, then they have only themselves to blame.
Thank you for your comments. It will not be necessary for me to actually buy a ticket to see the film. Thanks.
Aflec not an actor? Please, all you need to work in Hollywood is a well connected, left wing family member, a well paid public relations firm and a lawyer/agent who’ll market you. Aflec and many, many others in Southern California are marginal performers. Look at folks like Cruise, Roberts and that woman who looks like octomom.
I imagine to the media elite the bloggers are bloodsuckers, leeches, vampires, & other things that go bump in the night. The MSM has become the Ministry of Information from Orwell’s 1984; it’s up to the PEOPLE to take the information back from their liberal filter.
I don’t care for Ben Affleck’s acting either but to be fair, he directed one of the best crime movies in recent years, GONE BABY GONE. Written by left-leaning novelist Dennis Lehane, the film nevertheless possessed a gritty realism not often seen in Hollywood flicks (even though the actual plot turned out to be farfetched). I don’t know how much directing Affleck actually did but he got director credit.
12. Sebastian Shaw
“it’s up to the PEOPLE to take the information back from their liberal filter”
~
Right on, Sebastian Shaw! ♥♥♥
3. vivo:
…
Still can’t take national self-criticism? ….
Self-criticism is fine (necessary even), but when it becomes national self-flagellation, that’s another thing entirely.
3. vivo:…
Still can’t take national self-criticism? ….
In Mao’s China, whenever you strayed from the party line, the right path, you were to write a report of self-criticism to atone your transgressions, otherwise you would be sent to a re-education camp.
Funny, you bring “self-criticism” up.
“If it wasn’t for Hollywood, we’d be believing in Santa Claus . . . ”
Poor Vivo, you actually acquire your “knowledge” from Hollywood.
The BBC TV series on which this movie was loosely based was brilliant. A must-see.
I suspect this American movie version is a must-miss!
Excuse me! I do not suck blood. I sponge it from my plate with my bread.
The only redeeming factor that might show up is if Russel Crowe manages to form a likable character. Unfortuanatly his acting tends to be a little stiff in recent films so I don’t hold out much hope.
I could forgive a stupid message for a the movie if the rest was actually good (an extremely rare quality).
Who knew? Hollywood stuck in the 20th century? Wow, let them stay there, dead as a doornail.
Randy,
Good point on Gone Baby Gone. Affleck is a smart fellow even if you disagree with his politics. He’s likely a better fit behind the camera.
Easy to tell who isn’t making it on “Facebook”, “Twitter”, “Match.com”, “Please, Baby, Please.com”, etc.
P.S. “Anything for you, baby.com”
Re: Affleck, halfway through Pearl Harbor I was rooting for the Japanese.
In fairness, Boiler Room and Good Will Hunting were well done.
What I found most odd was that the highly successful Congressman and his wife turned to this silly reporter (long hair, scruffy, wifeless and childless, essentially broke and facing unemployment and drinking way too heavily) to ask for validation of their own life styles. Who is kidding whom?
That PR agent said it well. If he drove a Saab like Crowe, he’d blow it up with himself in it.
And, as a 3rd generation Irish-American, I was deeply offended by the Irish drinking song they played at the start of the movie. Imagine a good PC movie propagation the stereotype that the Irish drink too much.
http://www.wtv-zone.com/phyrst/audio/nfld/06/diedjb.htm
I saw the movie, and I also saw the slam on blogging. It’s Hollywood. They do not like the true truth getting out, plus newspapers, and the MSM are losing clients.
I have not ever been a big fan of Ben, but I thought he did a very good job in the movie. Russell sold out to Hollywood a long time ago, but he is what my wife believes is a dam fine actor. Whatever that means.
The movie is better than good, and the supporting actors do an excellent job. I do not know the older lady’s name in the movie who plays Russell’s boss, but she is such a TURN on.
Over.
Another view:
No problem with the lame performance of Affleck et al. This is to be expected in todays hollywood. However, I think that the conflict between the professional reporter (long since dead) Crowe and the “industry” as portrayed by the “editor” is clasic. There are still a few good reporters out there, just not many. The net gal is a joke, but then one needs something to look at in a film. Ergo #5 Sundays.
24. joel:as a 3rd generation Irish-American, I was deeply offended by the Irish drinking song they played at the start of the movie
How about the melody to that song “The Star-Spangled Banner”?
The connection with Anacreon, along with the “drinking” nature of the lyrics, have caused many people to label The Anacreontic Song a drinking song.
http://www.answers.com/%E2%80%9CTo%20Anacreon%20in%20Heaven%E2%80%9D%20
@ Vivo: ““If it wasn’t for Hollywood, we’d be believing in Santa Claus”
I guess you haven’t seen “Miracle on 34th Street.”
28. Emma:
““If it wasn’t for Hollywood, we’d be believing in Santa Claus”
I guess you haven’t seen “Miracle on 34th Street.”
The concept of Santa Claus is fine. You didn’t get my drift. If it wasn’t for movies, people wouldn’t know lots and lots of things. Michael Moore is an example. You probably hate his stuff, but the realistic footage is more than revealing. Remember Bush at the school on 9/11? Tragic.
Vivo, Michael Moore is a terrible example.
I’m not going to see this movie, so I guess I’ll never figure out why there are so many British accents in Washington, DC officialdom.
As soon as I saw the D.C. setting, I decided not to see the movie. It seems that, in addition to Washington-based movies, every other new TV series is set or to be set in Washington. “24″ has moved from L.A. to D.C. even! Enough!
It’s obvious what is happening: Washington has become the center of the Ameican Universe like never before. A more accurate description is that it is a black hole swallowing up the American galaxy. Yes, you guessed it, I live and work at the new center of the world. Sigh.
This movie looks great. Though I haven’t gone to see it yet, if it’s even half as good as the UK mini-series, audiences should be flocking to it. I mean Russell Crowe almost always delivers. The TV trailer (http://displacedbrett.wordpress.com/2009/04/21/state-of-play) shows Crowe looking commanding as always, and now that I see him in action, I can live with Ben Affleck playing this role. Also, it features a great song, “Unstoppable” by Minutes Til Midnight that does a great job of setting the mood. Anyway, I’m way excited for this film – it looks to be the last of a dying breed, the high-budget, adult drama/thriller.