…Or that Russell Crowe could be that chubby? State of Play (2009) is an action packed, mind boggling thriller that is smart, well-cast/acted, and about politics.

The story is about a politician, his journalist friend, and the love polygons that eventually lead to a murder. And guess who does the principle investigating? Certainly not the cops…it is the journalists! This story of betrayals and friendships will keep you guessing until the end (unless you’ve seen it already).

I was thoroughly impressed with the story, the amount of action, and the acting. The music didn’t stand out, but I’m sure it added to the suspense. Finally, this story could really happen. That impressed me the most. The only thing this film doesn’t have is staying power. Because the story is so suspenseful, one needs to wait a long time after he/she sees it to see it again…otherwise you lose that unexpected feeling in the pit of your stomach.

State of Play runs 128 minutes and is rated PG-13. I would follow the MPAA on this one…only watch with 13-year-olds or older: this movie is too smart for some younger kids and has enough language. I give it 8 ramheads out of 10.