For those who saw the original BBC UK TV " State of Play " you will wonder how they could have made such a listless 2d version of a great plot line. Afleck is very good the best I've seen him act for years. Crowe is well, ordinary, his character, a grumpy, scruffy, almost unhygienic journalist is very one pace. The newspapers editor played by Helen Mirren is likewise played on one note , that of your tough mainly shouting Brit . The female sidekick of Crowes' is a token role inserted to try to involve the female viewer I guess , which is a shame as she wastes screen time which didn't allow what should have been the main female lead i.e. the wronged politicians wife to shine thru' as it did in the BBC version. In this adaptation her part was by passed with hints to an affair with Crowe, an unhappy marriage etc but absolutely nothing was fleshed out , so you cared little for her situation in all of this murder and intrigue. The at times slack pace of the movie was proved to me as the director constantly intercut scenes with those of a mysterious helicopter scanning the skies of Washington , a very amateur attempt at trying to create tension which isn't necessary in a truly thrilling movie and wasn't needed in the original The two glaring no-nos though were in plot lines which to me showed either lazy scriptwriting or masses of footage on the cutting room floor . In the hospital scene , where the female reporter bumps into the killer on the third floor as she emerges from the elevator. She proceeds to walk a few paces into the treatment room , within seconds a snipers rifle kills the would be witness. Now hang on , the same guy she has just passed has within ten paces of her walking, he has descended three floors, left the hospital , crossed the street , gone into another building, ascended at least four floors into a convenient room and fired his weapon to kill the guy , mmmmm OK suspend disbelief ( and time)
But then towards the climax of the whole two hours plus, Crowe suddenly realises the true nature of events and without speaking , crosses Washington to confront Afleck . As he leaves him amazingly this same killer is waiting for Crowe outside Afleck's office !!. So now the killer is a clairvoyant as well as moves at super speed . This makes no sense and unfortunately my suspension was now too tired to shift my disbelief . Sloppy , sloppy plot .
After transatlantic copies like this you can understand why film fans groan when they hear Hollywood is to make their version of a loved play/film. My advice , either get the original and enjoy the real thing or don't get the original , see this copy and miss a great tale, well told, your choice .
But then towards the climax of the whole two hours plus, Crowe suddenly realises the true nature of events and without speaking , crosses Washington to confront Afleck . As he leaves him amazingly this same killer is waiting for Crowe outside Afleck's office !!. So now the killer is a clairvoyant as well as moves at super speed . This makes no sense and unfortunately my suspension was now too tired to shift my disbelief . Sloppy , sloppy plot .
After transatlantic copies like this you can understand why film fans groan when they hear Hollywood is to make their version of a loved play/film. My advice , either get the original and enjoy the real thing or don't get the original , see this copy and miss a great tale, well told, your choice .