MOVIE · 2009

State of Play

CrimeDramaMysteryThriller127 min

Russell Crowe is Cal McAffrey, a Washington, D.C., reporter pulled into the killing of a congressional aide when the politician tied to the case turns out to be his old college friend. Ben Affleck's Stephen Collins is a rising congressman whose personal scandal and public image start to unravel under scrutiny, while a younger journalist (Rachel McAdams) and hard-driving editor Helen Mirren keep the pressure on inside the newsroom. As Cal chases leads through Capitol Hill offices, police briefings, and private meetings, the story widens from a single death into a web of political access, media maneuvering, and buried loyalties.