Film Review: 'State Of Play'

'State Of Play' is a political murder-mystery thriller directed by Kevin Macdonald. The screenplay was written by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Tony Gilroy (writer of The Bourne Identity), and is based on the 2003 British mini-series of the same name that starred John Simm, Bill Nighy, James McAvoy and David Morrissey.

A small-time thief is found dead in the street, a pizza boy is found nearby with a critical gunshot wound, and the aide to Congressman Stephen Collins falls in front of a subway train and dies. Three completely unrelated incidents. Or are they? Cal McAffrey, a reporter for the Washington Globe with past ties to the congressman, has information which suggests that everything is not as it seems. With the help of fellow reporter Della Frye, Cal goes where the clues lead him, and uncovers a startling conspiracy involving the private sector security firm that Congressman Collins is currently investigating. But as he digs deeper into the role the private company might play in the deaths, Cal also realises that they may have all been played for fools from the beginning ...

While the characters aren't too complex, the plot more than makes up for that with it's twist ending that really throws you for a loop. All in all, it's a solid mystery thriller that I'd recommend watching.