Directed by: Kevin MacDonald
Written by: Matthew Michael Carnahan
Cast: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Gregg Binkley
Studio: Universal Pictures
Genre: Drama
Official Site: www.stateofplaymovie.net
Release Date: April 17, 2009 (wide)

The Story

Handsome, unflappable U.S. Congressman Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is the future of his political party: an honorable appointee who serves as the chairman of a committee overseeing defense spending.

All eyes are upon the rising star to be his party’s contender for the upcoming presidential race.

Until his research assistant/mistress is brutally murdered and buried secrets come tumbling out.

McCaffrey (Russell Crowe) has the dubious fortune of both an old friendship with Collins and a ruthless editor, Cameron, who has assigned him to investigate.

As he and partner Della (Rachel McAdams) try to uncover the killer’s identity, McCaffrey steps into a cover-up that threatens to shake the nation’s power structures.

And in a town of spin-doctors and wealthy politicos, he will discover one truth: when billions are at stake, no one’s integrity, love or life is ever safe.

Movie Trivia

The original 2003 mini-series has yielded a large number of household name actors in recent years. In the original Bill Nighy (”Love Actually,” “Pirates of the Caribbean”) was the newspaper editor, James McAvoy (”Atonement,” “The Last King of Scotland”) was the bucking young reporter, David Morrissey (”The Reaping,” “Basic Instinct 2″) was Collins, John Simm (TV’s “Life on Mars,” “Doctor Who”) was McAffrey, Philip Glenister TV’s “Life on Mars,” “Ashes to Ashes”) was a police officer and Polly Walker (”Patriot Games,” HBO’s “Rome”) was Collins’ wife.

Brad Pitt and Edward Norton originally signed on for the movie that would have reunited them for the first time since Fight Club (1999). However, Pitt pulled out before Thanksgiving 2007, when rewrites were made impossible because of the writers’ strike. He was replaced by Russell Crowe.

Pitt’s departure delayed the start of shooting, and made Norton unavailable as he was committed to start shooting Leaves of Grass (2009) in January. He was replaced by Ben Affleck.

After Brad Pitt departed from the film, and before Russell Crowe replaced him, other actors considered for the role of Cal McCaffrey were Johnny Depp and Tom Hanks.

World Release Dates

17 April 2009 In Canada, Iceland, Spain, Turkey
23 April 2009 In Brazil, Finland, UK
29 April 2009 In Egypt
30 April 2009 In Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands
1 May 2009 In Norway, Sweden
21 May 2009 In Argentina
28 May 2009 In Australia, Czech Republic, New Zealand
29 May 2009 In Denmark
5 June 2009 In Estonia
11 June 2009 In Singapore
25 June 2009 In Russia
1 July 2009 In Belgium, France