Big stars, big budget, big themes — but it all seems so very small screen. STATE OF PLAY has feet of clay. It wants to be a sweeping journo-political thriller — All The President's Men meet Michael Clayton. Instead, it's as pat and unnuanced as most television drama — making it no surprise that it was adapted from a BBC series. — Jeff Schultz

A lot of acting talent in a movie that’s in a STATE OF PLAY-doh. Story in interesting enough. If it stuck to the corruption theme without taking the easy sex & scandal route it might of been more interesting/risk taking. The movie doesn’t know which “big” theme it wants to tackle & as a result plays it too safe. — Alan Yudman