Starring: Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Robin Penn, Jason Bateman, Jeff Daniels
Genre: Drama/Mystery
Summary: Another hearing is called to order in Washington DC as the US Government overseas a review of potential shortlisted non-military groups to outsource the nations national security needs. Heading the panel is Congressman Collins (Ben Affleck) whose lead researcher on the project suddenly shows up dead due to a misfortunate accident with a train.
Congressman Collins goes to his old college room mate Cal McAffrey (Russell Crowe) to seek advice and discuss the situation with him as his confident though McAffey works for the Washington Post, and as news surfaces of the researcher being Collins mistress.
Simultaneously, Della Frye (Rachel McAdams) also working at the Washington Post with McAffey is working on a story about the researchers death and suddenly finds her path crossing with her colleagues and tries to influence him to get a further insight due to his relationship with the Congressman.
The further they investigate the story, the more it seems that there is a conspiracy involving the main front runner for the contract, the researcher, the Congressman, and the committee reviewing the tender.
My Review: Overall, this movie is your typical political conspiracy based in Washington DC and involving dirty politics from the get go.
I was skeptical that this movie would be any good as the only real movie Ben Affleck to date has not ruined is Good Will Hunting however he managed a somewhat convincing performance over the 2 hours of this movie. Rachel McAdams really sets the benchmark for the acting in this movie and the other big names kinda just fall beneath her (though Helen Mirren was good).
The movie would have won more merit had it maintained a closer level of twists and turns as the movie progressed. Sadly there were too many gaps between those twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. The film was kinda like riding the kids rollercoaster. You know it will lack substance and yet your still hopeful till the end, only to walk away having got what you expected originally.
Make sense of the above as you will. :234567
(http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/3760/58405848.th.jpg) (http://www.postimage.org/image.php?v=Pq6gSrA)