State of Play

When a congressional aide is killed, a Washington, D.C. journalist starts investigating the case involving the Representative, his old college friend.

This political thriller adaptation of the acclaimed BBC miniseries earned a broadly positive critical reception, with reviewers praising its intelligent script, brisk pacing, and committed performances. The main point of contention was how it measured up against its source material — most felt the condensed film version sacrificed some depth, even if the changes were largely well-handled. Audience enthusiasm ran slightly warmer than critical opinion.