When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 4 nominations
Robin Wright
- Anne Collins
- (as Robin Wright Penn)
Steve Park
- Chris Kawai
- (as Stephen Park)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDirector Kevin Macdonald intended the movie to pay homage to All the President's Men (1976) by using the Watergate Hotel and the parking garage as locations.
- GoofsIn the final scene of the printing montage at the end, the sign on the side of the truck says "Washington Post".
- Quotes
Cameron Lynne: I want you to do a complete rundown on this Sonia Baker: who she knew, who she blew, the color of her knickers.
- Crazy creditsThe printing process of a newspaper is shown as the ending credits start to show up.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Screenwipe: Episode #5.3 (2008)
- SoundtracksThe Night Pat Murphy Died
(Traditional)
Arranged by Alan Doyle, Bob Hallett (as Robert Hallett), Séan McCann, Darrell Power
Performed by Great Big Sea
Courtesy of Sonic Entertainment Group and Warner Music Canada Co.
Featured review
In 'State of Play' the surprises keep coming. A politician's staff-member has been murdered and two journalists set out to discover the 'Who' (who killed her) and the 'Why'. We go down one alley, then another, all our beliefs challenged, then changed, but throughout it all our interest remains pretty high.
But then ... then something happens. One of the characters says something that she could not possibly know about, and this re-arranges all the assumptions we have made about guilty parties. Which is fine. But for one thing. The character who made the telling statement all but disappears from the film. She is not guilty. And the someone who is guilty is not the person who made the statement. And so the question is, what really happened here? I don't know. And I should know, because that's what the film was leading up to. Who Done It? Easy. Yes?
Russel Crowe is fine as one journalist, Rachel McAdam is superb as his younger associate. Ben Affleck is his usual stoic self, though it works in this role. Helen Mirren is shrill - too shrill - in her role as the newspaper's managing editor. For fans of Robin Wright - and there are many - she's fine as the wife of the Affleck character; thrown over for someone younger.
Finally, the film is - how to say? - flabby. It's not as tight as it should be. It goes off on tangents that lead nowhere at times when we should be tightening up the script and the tension. Also, it's kind of 'old fashioned'; the sort of plucky-young-journalist film they don't make anymore.
Anyway, it made for an entertaining evening. And that's more than merely O.k.
But then ... then something happens. One of the characters says something that she could not possibly know about, and this re-arranges all the assumptions we have made about guilty parties. Which is fine. But for one thing. The character who made the telling statement all but disappears from the film. She is not guilty. And the someone who is guilty is not the person who made the statement. And so the question is, what really happened here? I don't know. And I should know, because that's what the film was leading up to. Who Done It? Easy. Yes?
Russel Crowe is fine as one journalist, Rachel McAdam is superb as his younger associate. Ben Affleck is his usual stoic self, though it works in this role. Helen Mirren is shrill - too shrill - in her role as the newspaper's managing editor. For fans of Robin Wright - and there are many - she's fine as the wife of the Affleck character; thrown over for someone younger.
Finally, the film is - how to say? - flabby. It's not as tight as it should be. It goes off on tangents that lead nowhere at times when we should be tightening up the script and the tension. Also, it's kind of 'old fashioned'; the sort of plucky-young-journalist film they don't make anymore.
Anyway, it made for an entertaining evening. And that's more than merely O.k.
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- Cuộc Chiến Cân Não
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $60,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $37,017,955
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $14,071,280
- Apr 19, 2009
- Gross worldwide
- $87,812,371
- Runtime2 hours 7 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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