The diminishing world of print journalism is put under the microscope in State of Play, with Russell Crowe in the role of hard-nosed journo. Director Kevin MacDonald talks to MICHELE MANELIS about the fortunate change in casting
When Russell Crowe took over the lead from Brad Pitt in State of Play, director Kevin MacDonald couldn't be happier.
"It's the difference between working with a proper actor as opposed to a movie star," MacDonald says with a frankness uncharacteristic for those attached to big Hollywood productions.
State of Play is a political thriller based on the 2003 BBC drama series. In this updated version for the big screen Crowe plays a hard-nosed reporter opposite Ben Affleck's fresh-faced, yet compromised US congressman.
"Russell is the only A-list star who has no vanity about him," says MacDonald whose past films include One Day In September and The Last King of Scotland. "When Brad was on board he chose cashmere sweaters and beautiful shades of coats to wear. With Russell, he sees everything from the point of view of the character. He said, 'I'm going to wear these jeans, that jacket, this coat and I'm going to wear it every single day. That's it,"' recalls MacDonald. "That's what the journalist would have worn. And the other problem we had with Brad was the dynamic between the journalist and the politician. It had to be believable. The journalist had to feel inferior and play a bit of a schlump who can't get a girlfriend. Now, that is not the dynamic of Brad Pitt. He's not looking up to anyone thinking, 'Oh I wish I could be with your girlfriend."'
Evidently, there is no love lost between the Scottish director and Pitt.
"I wanted to make a film about the state of journalism, the crisis of journalism. Brad just wasn't right for the role." Ed Norton was originally cast before Affleck but had to pull out due to scheduling conflicts.
The stellar cast also includes Rachel McAdams, a rookie journalist/blogger learning the ropes from Crowe's old-school ways. Academy award-winner Helen Mirren plays the tough-as-nails editor of the Washington Globe, and Robin Wright Penn has a small but memorable role as Affleck's wife.
Adapted from the six-part television series which had Bill Nighy in Mirren's chair, the film's screenplay was written by Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton, The Bourne films, Duplicity) and is in the vein of many 70s movies of its ilk. In fact, State of Play could be viewed as the bookend to All The President's Men, the 1976 Oscar-winning movie that starred Dustin Hoffman and Robert Redford.
Although Affleck's congressman seems a little lightweight standing next to the gravitas that permeates from Crowe, and it seems a little unbelievable that the two were college room-mates, especially given that Affleck looks a decade younger, MacDonald defends his casting choice. "Firstly, the age difference is only six or seven years between them, and Ben is a very political person. I was impressed by his stature and his seriousness. He also has that tele/photogenic quality of a politician. In fact, I think he will probably be a politician one day."
If Crowe is considered Hollywood's least vain actor, then Affleck is definitely among its most intelligent and articulate. Politically outspoken, it's not surprising the subject of him running for office arises. Sitting in his hotel room in Los Angeles, Affleck laughs at the notion of giving up his day job as movie star to enter the world of politics.
"Well, I don't think so. I had a great time researching this because I got to go down there and meet congressmen, and go to the floor, see the capital, and talk to them. I met some great people, people who I really admired and respected but maybe I'm not selfless enough to do that job. I'm very comfortable with me being on my side and them being where they are and I think we're all happy about this current arrangement," he laughs.
Among the challenges that presented itself, the most troublesome to Affleck was having to appear as though he and Crowe were old friends.
"It was a big concern of mine because my character and Russell's were very close friends and went back a long way. We didn't have much time to get to know each other but Russell made himself available to hang out so we got past some of that awkwardness. I spent time at his house with him and his friends, and had my family over there too."
And was Affleck a little intimidated to meet "Big Russ" whose "bad boy" reputation precedes him?' "Oh, he's a pussycat," Affleck laughs. "Seriously, he's a guy who's not too precious and talks in a very straightforward, very down to earth way." He says. "He tried to teach me about rugby league and despite long hours of tutelage, and the full complement of gear, compliments of Russell, I don't think the South Sydney Rabbitohs would want me on their team. I'd probably just run the wrong way - but I'd definitely fit in terms of the wardrobe."
Crowe has had his share of experiences, good and bad, with journalists over the years. "I've been meeting journalists for the past 30 years of my life. I've been praised, betrayed, and flayed, so I didn't do one minute of extra research," he says. Acknowledging the state of newspapers today he says, "If you trivialise the news decade after decade and turn it into entertainment, sooner or later people are going to distrust what those sources are. We've built a generation who don't know how to discern bullshit from truth. At least I'm lucky enough that I'm old enough to have grown up in an era where there were certain newspapers that were absolute purveyors of the truth. But unfortunately that has changed over time."
A timely subject matter which highlights the crisis in journalism and the increasing world of blogging, State of Play is smart entertainment, not usually something associated with a big studio film and, like print journalism, is something of a dying breed.
MacDonald, who studied journalism but was never able to find work as a reporter when he graduated in the early 90s, is still passionate about the subject. "The world of All The President's Men and The Washington Post feels like a dying animal. In doing my research I visited the Post several times. You see the printing of a newspaper and you see the physicality of that process and how analogue it is, how 19th century the printing process is and it feels like the end of an era. In a way State of Play is a eulogy to print journalism."
LOWDOWN
What: State of Play, film adaptation of the BBC drama series
When and where: Opens at cinemas May 28
