"State of Play"
Dir. Kevin Macdonald
PG-13, 127 min.

If you have seen a preview for "State of Play," you already know whether or not you would enjoy it. It is what it advertises itself as, a political thriller, and offers nothing new to convert non-fans of the genre but nothing to turn fans off either.

When a congressman's (Ben Affleck) aide is killed in the middle of investigating a Blackwater-like personal security company, reporter Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) and blogger Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) are left to untangle a plot involving corporate greed, illicit romances and political corruption.

Crowe plays McAffrey as a slovenly, bear of a man. Much of what is interesting about "State of Play" comes from watching Crowe navigate the life of a reporter in a bustling newsroom. He downs Cheetos in his 1990 Saab, he works amidst mountain ranges of papers and books, and he battles his demanding editor (Helen Mirren).

Crowe's performance could serve as a eulogy for this line of work. With newspapers bleeding money and closing left and right (addressed heavily in the film), there is no telling how soon a character like McAffrey will seem hopelessly anachronistic.

The rest of the star-studded cast (McAdams, Mirren, Robin Wright Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels) deliver solid, if slightly muted, performances.

The exception is Affleck. There are roles Affleck succeeds in, or is at least fun to watch in. This is not one of them. He overreaches in the dramatic scenes, which are most of the film, and really only seems within his element for a brief moment when his character relaxes with McAffrey.

Other than political-thriller junkies, there is only one other group of people for whom "State of Play" is a must-see. And that is weary reporters looking for a sign that they will still be useful (and employable) in a blogger's future (and that is pretty much all of us).