Involving...
This certainly passed the time and it's nice to see a Brit pack of actors firing on all cylinders (Kelly Mcdonald, John Simm, David Morrissey, James McAvoy, Bill Nighy...). It's a six parter this so takes its time to build the plot but to be honest it could have easily told the same information at a much tighter four episode structure, there's a hell of a lot of running around waffle going on here (writer's diahorreah) that's there I guess as everyone here wants to make a 'prestige production'.
SoP's nearest televisual cousin is of course Edge of Darkness, another conspiracy led eco thriller, alas SoP can't really compete with EoD's cinematic look and feel and the overall feeling of apocalyptic doom that that series managed to instill.

David Morrissey is one of the rocks holding the series together as is Bill Nighy and Kelly Mcdonald who seems to be the emotional and moral heart of the piece, John Simm is one of the other main protagonists playing a journalist who seems to have a heart of gold underneath the strut; alas I felt Simm was one of the weak links to this particular production; don't get me wrong he does a reasonable job of furrowed brow determination, but he just hasn't got the gravitas/acting style suited to a heavy weight part like this, his babyish face and university drop out stubble just doesn't sit well 'maverick seasoned journalist'. I haven't seen the U.S. remake yet but i'd imagine Russel Crowe would make a pretty good stab at a part like this, (and the story's told in the film in a two hour running time I believe (so it can be done!).

So to round up, SoP is a very enjoyable watch in a lot respects but it just doesn't have the script, acting or directing chops to make it a 'classic' of its kind, but anyone buying this for the very reasonable price Amazon have it up for will spend six hours reasonably gripped and entertained (especially when the wonderful Bill Nighy deadpans and snickers his stuff on screen :o)

Journalists must laugh their socks off when they see this stuff
I found this a collection of cliches from start to finish. The plucky young reporters who'll stop at nothing to get to THE TRUTH as if investigative journalism hadn't been seen off when most newspapers changed hands in the 1980s. The idea that the hero was once a labour agent - does nobody know what an election agent looks like? He's certainly not a nice young man!

John Simm, who we know can act brilliantly, stumbles through the plot as though he were given the script an hour before filming. And I'm sure there's an inconsistency in the post-mortem story but I can't be bothered to sit through it all again to check.

So just 3 stars out of 5, and that's generous.

A jolly good watch
An intriguing and intense political thriller, with good characters and acting. well worth a watch

An absolutely superb thriller
I hate conspiracy theories. They are crass and stupid so most political thrillers tend to become at best ludicrous. But this is superb. A taut intelligent drama which keeps you guessing without ever getting silly.

After the death of a young political researcher and the gunning down of a teenager and courier in London the press kick in to action. Reporter Cal McCaffrey (Jon Simm) is the old friend and political agent of Government Junior Minister Stephen Collins (Morrissey) the researcher's boss. Morrissey is working on a report into the oil industry and a big oil company looms ever present in the background as a sinister but largely unseen adversary. McCaffrey finds evidence which links the murders and the researcher's death but as he begins to join the dots much more begins to fall out of the cupboard including his own feelings for Collins' wife. At the same time a hitman remains on the loose and the police on the warpath when they realise that the newspaper has been withholding information.

The two central performances are excellent as is the tension between two old friends who need each other but don't necessarily like each other that much anymore. All of the characters have depth and the complex relationships within the newspaper offices are particularly good. Bill Nighy's editor's disdain for James McAvoy's cub reporter is especially good. So often these kind of relationships are just pointless tack ons but here they really work as does the transformation of Kelly MacDonald's character after she realizes how much danger she's placed herself in.

If you enjoy thrillers, have more than a five minute attention span and don't require big explosions throughout then I heartily recommend this.

state of play
Excellent plot and cast. Plenty of twists and time for speculation about conspiracy theroy. Bill Nighy is fantastic, as are all the journalists.

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