Last Tuesday my friend Pam invited me to $5 movie night in Wallingford. We saw "State of Play," that disappointing bit of nonsense starring Russell Crowe. After all the reviews I read, I thought I was going to feel good knowing our minds were safe in the care of dedicated journalists who are seekers after the truth.
Instead, I came away thinking Crowe's character (Cal) was a make-up-your-own-truth, rules-bending, I-don't-care-who-gets-hurt, self satisfied SOB, who deserved to lose his job for his total lapses in judgment and ethics. We're supposed to think he was a hero for figuring it out at the last frigging minute? Through a chance comment? Come on! He got lucky!
The doe-eyed Rachel McAdams character, Della Frye, showed more scruples, ethical behavior, and maturity than Cal, in my opinion. She questioned: Is that breaking the law? This isn't right, etc. Let's hope she doesn't hang around Cal enough to get jaded over her career!
Here are two lessons I learned from the movie (potential spoiler alert): Most conspiracy theories never pan out, and second, if somebody (that means you, Ben Affleck/Steve Collins) walks out on an investigation after turning it personal, he's probably hiding something!
Oh wait, one last lesson: I guess there is a reason why the new owners (who we're supposed to think are "in the way" of Cal's excellent reporting) required some proof: You might be headed down the wrong rabbit hole!
I can only hope the British version on BBC with that darling James McAvoy did not contain the same drivel.
Which reminds me: Next movie is "Is Anybody There?" with Michael Caine and Anne-Marie Duff...
