Stateside Players …

Ok, ok, I’ll confess …

I couldn’t get a good quote from “State of Play” to use as a title … !

Which doesn’t mean it’s a bad film. Not by a long shot …

It’s one that sees Russell Crowe as investigative journalist Cal McAffrey, along side Rachel McAdams as cub reporter and blogger, Della Frye — hang on, why do I never met people like her! — investigating the curiously linked deaths of a pizza delivery man, and a researcher for Congressman Stephen Collins; played by a somewhat thinner looking than usual Ben Affleck.

You’ve got to ask if he’s gone on a diet; the few films I’ve seen him in, he’s built more like a Rugby player. Rather than a football player …

But that’s me digressing, again … !

“State of Play” — based on the 2003 BBC series — sees Crowe’s character investigating the shooting of a pizza delivery man in what’s suspected to be a drug related killing.

Until the Rachel McAdams character tells him that she suspects there’s a link to the — apparent — suicide of Sonia, a researcher for Ben Affleck’s congressman; himself investigating a rather iffy security company that hires mercenaries to the US government. You can possibly guess this is going to get a bit twisty, can’t you … ?

Which it is …

But quite entertainingly so, I’m thinking; but I also know I wouldn’t mind checking out the original BBC series.

It strikes me that, nicely done though the film version was, it’s seem to have had to dump a lot of plot. After all, it does compress a six hour series into two hours of film.

Adrian was watching with me tonight; the series got an “It’s Cool” from him. Which, in case you didn’t know, is Adrian for “Go BUY A COPY, NOW!!!!!”

Either way, though, we both agreed on one thing.

Well one or two …

“State of Play” does seem a bit thin.

But is entertaining.