Grrr arggg, Don't you hate it when you've challenged your cocky ass hole friend to an old fashioned, Race ya to the end of the block style dash off?
He's huffing and puffing and right out of the gate you've got this douche beat.
You start off with a burst of energy that this,
criss-crossed cardigan over chest, dick-wad can't possibly keep up with.
I mean the guys a drinker, you drink too but this guy goes heavy on the
Jagger bombs.
The end of the block is just within your grasp, you can feel it, taste it. step on it dance around and laugh at his face when you reach it.
but you
didn't see that
pebble coming, that pebble that snuck its way into your path just as you were reaching the finish line.
The one that causes you to
embarrassingly tumble down, face first to the ground.
and allows professor douche-
meister with the developing beer belly and sky blue cardigan dangling behind him in the wind to steal the lead and win the race.
such is the state of State of Play. the new political thriller from director Kevin
Macdonald.
oh it starts off so well, with the perfect blend of spy thriller action and political intrigue.
recapping plots is always rather tedious.. and I think a disservice to viewers, I mean the fun part about watching a flick is having it unfold before your eyes.
So I will give you bare minimum
Russel
Crowe plays a seasoned reporter at a
Washington newspaper, headed by a balls to the wall editor in Helen
Mirren.
She's got pressure from the big bosses to turn a profit with the paper.
Ben
Affleck is an up and coming political poster boy senator who has set his sites on taking down a large defense company with shady dealings, after one of the senators aides turns up dead questions are asked, secrets are spilled and
Crowe is given the task of unravelling the story for the paper, did we mention however that
Crowe and
Affleck's characters are old college buddies, thus placing
Crowe in the difficult
position of having to choose between his integrity as a reporter or as a friend.
Based upon a six part television series, that aired on the BBC, Screenwriters: Billy Ray, Tony
Gilroy and Michael Matthew
Carnahan, pull off the balancing act of a terse political thriller and character drama, ignoring the obvious age differences between
Affleck and
Crowe,the casting works.
Crowe as the
staunch weathered old school reporter works, Robin wright Penn as the Senators wife caught in the middle works and even Rachel
Mcadams doing her best Lois Lane as an on-line division reporter works here .
The director has written a sort of hallmark card to journalism, with its get the story by any means
necessary inter cut clips of coffee fueled all
nighters and Sources "butter upping" (not really a word)
it seemingly gets it all right. until those last 10 minutes.
in what may be the only bad play by the director, we are subjected to not one but "two" twist endings. the problem is that only one of them really works.
the first spin at the end delivers.
Its intense , plausible and satisfying.
Had the film just closed up shop at that point we would have had a solid story on our hands.
but
nooo, it had to get greedy.
That pebble in the way of my almost victory lap is a massive fossil that sends the whole story toppling down to a scraped knee.
The "real" ending seems to forced, and the way the wheels work for one of the characters to "uncover" this other twist?, well I'm just not buying it.
the film is still worth checking out.. but try and leave when you first think its over.
Bridesmaids stars SNL cast member Kristen Wiig as Annie the down on her luck single gal whose best friend Lillian (former SNL cast member Maya Rudolph) suddenly and unexpectedly becomes engaged. At this point Annie still has yet to get her life in control. She attempted to open a bake shop, but due to the recession it failed. And with it's failure her passion for her job and life went with it. So she decides to settle in life. Her job as a sales clerk in a jewelry store is unfullfilling and frustrating. She has to sit back and watch all the young in love couples buy engagement rings as she sulks and makes snide comments and gives then the stink eye. Albeit unintentionally. She lives with not one but two roommates who are gross and intrusive and her love life is lackluster. She is reduced to a rich assholes booty call and of course he treats her like crap. And worst of all she allows it.
Annie's feelings over Lillian getting engaged are mixed with genuine joy for her friend, depression that her life hasn't taken the right turns to get her where she needs to be at this age in life , to resentment and anger that her position as best friend is being usurped by Lillian's new friend Helen (Rose Byrne). Helen desperately battles with Annie for the coveted position of maid of honor, and as a single, broke, woman in her 30's Annie feels that she can't measure up to the perfect, beautiful, rich trophy wife that Helen represents.The other bridesmaids that are included in the wedding is the wonderful but underused Wendi Mclendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, and break-out star Melissa McCarthy as tough, unpolished Megan.
Other critics say that McCarthy steals the movie, but to me the one who clearly owns the film is Wiig. Who knew the girl had such range? She is able to portray bona fide emotions such as fear, insecurity, anger, and hopelessness but in a simple turn can crack you up with her sharp sarcastic wit and rubbery faced features. She is the
true breakout star. Writing and co-producing a smart, heartfelt film about the bonds and love between wo
men and their close friends. And most importantly casts women that are authentically talented and funny not just pretty faces or matinee idols.
If you've haven't seen this movie yet, go now!! As soon as you can! Do not wait for the DVD because this is best enjoyed in a theater with others. And don't worry guys this is no mere chick flick or boring, bland rom-com. You'll dig it too! Truthfully I haven't' laughed this hard at a film all year. If you don't like it then your funny bone is clearly broken.