State of Play (BBC Mini-series) - B+

Just released on DVD. 350 minutes (six 55~ minute episodes). Scene.

This 2003 BBC mini-series riveted England and launched several careers, most notably James McAvoy's. It was released in the last couple of weeks, and the plot (political intrigue, reporters) made me interested enough to invest the time to watch all of the episodes. The series is being turned into an American movie to be released next year starring Ben Affleck, Russell Crowe and others. Click below for the review of the series.

The film is centered around Cal, the lead investigative reporter for the London Herald, a fictional version of London's leading newspaper. A girl's suicide and a seemingly random killing the same day are put together when the girl's employer, an MP (Steven, a member of parliament), tears up a little too much at the press conference announcing her death. Steven and Cal are old mates, and Steven takes refuge at Cal's house while the storm rages about his affair with the girl.

There are about 20 twists and turns to the plot, all stylishly played, ending up in a semi-surprise ending. The best parts of the series are the scenes with Bill Nighy, who plays Cal's editor. He devilishly balances corporate needs and the import of the story, along with the reckless behavior of his staff. Cal is assisted by 2 main reporters played by James McAvoy and Kelly MacDonald, who went on to superstardom and No Country For Old Men, respectively.

The teleplay, written by Paul Abbott, is smartly and smarmily written. His 'voice' is in sync with my own: cynical, funny and serious minded. There are lots of sarcastic moments throughout the film, and each sarcastic comment is followed by a "(!)" in the closed captioning (a must for any Yank watching a BBC production). The surprising romance in the film is well played, as are the moments with the government players and the cops. All in all a good time, with some poignant moments along the way.