State of Play (2009)
Crime, Drama, Mystery |.
State of Play is a political thriller film directed by Kevin Macdonald. It is based on the 2003 British television serial of the same name.
The film tells of a journalist’s probe into the suspicious death of a congressman’s mistress. The supporting cast includes Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman, Robin Wright and Jeff Daniels. Macdonald said that State of Play is influenced by the films of the 1970s and explores the subject of privatization of American Homeland Security and to a minor extent journalistic independence, along with the relationship between politicians and the press. It was released in North America on April 17, 2009. The film received generally positive reviews.
One night, a thief fleeing through Georgetown in Washington, D.C., is shot by a man carrying a briefcase. A deliveryman who witnesses the incident is also shot by the killer and is left in a coma. The following morning, a young woman is killed by a Washington Metro train in what seems to be suicide. Congressman Stephen Collins is distraught to hear that the woman was Sonia Baker, a researcher on his staff. Collins, who has military experience, is leading an investigation into PointCorp, a private defense contractor with controversial operations involving mercenaries. Collins tells his college roommate and old friend Cal McAffrey, an investigative reporter, that he had been having an affair with Sonia and that she had sent him a cheerful video message on the morning of her death, which he says is inconsistent and unusual behavior for someone about to commit suicide.
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Writers: Matthew Michael Carnahan (screenplay), Tony Gilroy (screenplay), Billy Ray (screenplay), Paul Abbott (television series)
Stars: Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels
►Cast:
| Russell Crowe | … | Cal McAffrey |
| Ben Affleck | … | Stephen Collins |
| Rachel McAdams | … | Della Frye |
| Helen Mirren | … | Cameron Lynne |
| Robin Wright | … | Anne Collins (as Robin Wright Penn) |
| Jason Bateman | … | Dominic Foy |
| Jeff Daniels | … | George Fergus |
| Michael Berresse | … | Robert Bingham |
| Harry Lennix | … | Detective Bell |
| Josh Mostel | … | Pete |
| Michael Weston | … | Hank |
| Barry Shabaka Henley | … | Gene Stavitz |
| Viola Davis | … | Dr. Judith Franklin |
| David Harbour | … | PointCorp Insider |
| Sarah Lord | … | Mandi |
| Tuck Milligan | … | PointCorp Executive |
| Steve Park | … | Chris Kawai (as Stephen Park) |
| Brennan Brown | … | Andrew Pell |
| Maria Thayer | … | Sonia Baker |
| Wendy Makkena | … | Greer Thornton |
| Zoe Lister-Jones | … | Jessy |
| Michael Jace | … | Officer Brown |
| Rob Benedict | … | Milt |
| LaDell Preston | … | Deshaun Stagg |
| Dan Brown | … | Vernon Sando |
| Katy Mixon | … | Rhonda Silver |
| Shane Edelman | … | D.A. Purcell |
| Maurice Burnice Harcum | … | Ben’s Cashier |
| Cornell Womack | … | Junior Detective #1 |
| Nat Benchley | … | Junior Detective #2 |
| Gregg Binkley | … | Ferris |
| Trula M. Marcus | … | Carol (as Trula Marcus) |
| Carolyn Barrett | … | Policewoman Escorting Della |
| Wil Love | … | Iowan Congressman |
| David E. Goodman | … | Graves (as David Copeland Goodman) |
| John Badila | … | Mr. James |
| Brigid Cleary | … | Mrs. James |
| Joy Spears | … | Waitress / Dancer #1 |
| Brandi Oglesby | … | Waitress / Dancer #2 |
| Stacey Walker | … | Waitress / Dancer #3 |
| R.B. Brenner | … | Globe Production Manager |
| Lucía Navarro | … | Telemundo Reporter |
| Chris Matthews | … | MSNBC Reporter |
| Lou Dobbs | … | CNN Reporter |
| James Vance III | … | Reporter |
| Sharon Dugan | … | Business Woman |
| Noel Werking | … | Business Man |
| Rose Coleman | … | Jackie |
| Lee von Ernst | … | ICU Nurse |
| Richard Ruyle | … | Karaoke Singer |
| Stuart Brazell | … | Karaoke Bar Hostess |
| Herbert Gordon | … | News Reporter #1 |
| Keith Anthony Garvin | … | News Reporter #2 |
| Julie Carey | … | News Reporter #3 |
| Eun Yang | … | News Reporter #4 |
| Denae D’Arcy | … | News Reporter #5 |
| Natasha Chughtai | … | News Reporter #6 |
| Greg Graham | … | The Wolf |
| Eric Hatch | … | Peter |
| Josh Rhodes | … | The Hunter |
| Don Abernathy | … | Hospital Employee |
| Michael Alban | … | Man in Market Place |
| Tex Allen | … | Investigative Reporter |
| Parisa Amira | … | Pedestrian |
| Woody Andrews | … | Witness |
| Kevin Bangos | … | Foreign Press Writer |
| Scott Barry | … | Shopper |
| Nora Bauer | … | Reporter |
| Ashley Bell | … | Voice (voice) |
| Christie Beran | … | Pedestrian |
| Robert Bizik | … | Physician |
| Bill Blair | … | Newspaper Employee |
| Michael Blumenstock | … | Camera Man |
| Laura Bryce | … | Shopper |
| Kyle Burgess | … | Congressional Aide |
| Margaret Carlson | … | Extra |
| Juan Eloy Carrera | … | Washington Lobbyist |
| Larry Carter | … | Senator |
| Robert Randolph Caton | … | Washington Attorney |
| Steve Clemons | … | Extra |
| Thomas Joe Craig | … | Manchester K-9 Policeman |
| Bruce Allen Dawson | … | Detective |
| Paul Dietz | … | Waiter |
| E.J. Dionne Jr. | … | Extra |
| Patricia DiZebba | … | Senate Staff |
| John Doty | … | Commuter |
| Matt J. Doyle | … | Politician |
| Richard El Khazen | … | Patron |
| Francesca Ellana | … | Student on Metro |
| Lourdes Faberes | … | Reporter |
| Paul Fahrenkopf | … | Hearing Attendee |
| Liam Ferguson | … | Newspaper Reporter |
| David Foster | … | TV Cameraman |
| Alexis Fowlkes | … | Girl |
| Mariano Gowland | … | News Reporter |
| Eileen Grubba | … | Peggy |
| Marcus Nel-Jamal Hamm | … | Capitol Police Officer |
| Frank Herzog | … | Congressman Johnson |
| Ken Holliday | … | PointCorp Executive |
| Carol Ilku | … | Reporter |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia