State of Play an Ink-Stained Thriller

Is it any wonder that State of Play, a taut suspense film about politics, murder, and above all newspapers, is a hit with critics? Here’s what they’re saying:  

• Roger Ebert calls it a “smart, ingenious thriller” with twists and turns that “genuinely fooled me a couple of times.” But it “never quite attains altitude,” and the Blackwater-esque villain gives up its secrets awfully easily.

• It’s an “enjoyably trashy thriller,” full of “overripe, over-plotted suspense,” writes Wesley Morris of the Boston Globe. “Still, it's a pleasure watching this cast make the most of the material.”
• The movie’s plot almost takes a back seat to its death-of-the-newspaper subtext. “On behalf of a beleaguered profession, this ink-stained wretch couldn't help but be touched,” writes Ann Hornday of the Washington Post. “Thanks for caring, guys.”