Jason Bateman knows the STATE OF PLAY
Posted by Matt Holmes
I’m about two/thirds of the way through reading Matthew Carnahan’s script for Kevin Macdonald’s adaptation of the British mini-series STATE OF PLAY. Having never seen the series myself, I went into the script ‘cold turkey’ if you will and it’s a pretty entertaining yarn. Now that I know Edward Norton and Brad Pitt are in the movie, the scenes with both their characters in have taken an added meaning to me, and it should make some fascinating viewing.
The one thing I will say is that Edward Norton has got a real tough job on his hands here. I mean I’m sure he can handle it, I mean it’s Edward Norton but the character he is playing breaks down within 10 minutes of him being on film. Completely breaks down. Having a character fall apart so quickly in a movie I’ve always seen to be a cheap way to get sympathy for a weak character and personally, I’ve always found it easy to switch off after the first tear has been spilt.
Casting wise it’s been good so far. Norton and Pitt. Variety report they will be joined by the cool Jason Bateman, who will be playing one of the key reports involved in an attempt to get to the truth of why the congressman’s (Norton) mistress was killed and dumped at a train station. Brad Pitt also plays a reporter on the case but what’s interesting is that his character is a former friend of Norton, so cinematically we already feel that they are former friends after they starred together in FIGHT CLUB. That’s what makes this so intriguing.
The script is good, and they have hired some talent people for this. After THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, the director Kevin Macdonald will probably once again take a back seat, with the actors getting most of the focus, which when you have Norton and Pitt is not a bad thing.
categories - Drama
Further Reading
1 Comment »
Leave a comment
Latest Updates
0
Recent Reviews
0
Starring
- Matt Holmes
Editor
- Peter Willis
Marketing & Development
- Mike Edwards
Chief Film Critic
- Ray DeRousse
Chief US Critic
- Mark Clark
Film Critic
- Tom Fallows
Features Editor
- Simon Gallagher
Features Editor
Out Soon
- The Wrestler
31/12 
16/01 - The Brothers Bloom
16/01
- Yes Man
19/12 26/12
- The Spirit
25/12 02/01
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
25/12 06/02
- Valkyrie
25/12
- Revolutionary Road
26/12 30/01
- Defiance
16/01 09/01
- My Bloody Valentine 3D
16/01 16/01
He’s not doing bad for someone who used to get Michael J Fox’s leftovers! I’m delighted to see Bateman as a hot commodity though. He has impeccable timing (both comedic and dramatic).
I’m wondering if this part is the one James McAvoy originally played, and who I thought might reprise it for the movie.