'State of Play' web reviews

Kevin Macdonald returns with "State of Play," a thriller about a reporter who embarks on his own investigation into the murder of a congressman's assistant. Tony Gilroy, Billy Ray and Matthew Michael Carnahan worked on the script, and Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Helen Mirren and Rachel McAdams star. Here's what the Web critics think:

• Brad Brevet at RopeOfSilicon: "When State of Play is good, it's really good, but there are those moments where you can tell they are trying to fit six hours of an acclaimed miniseries into a 127 minute thriller."

• LatinoReview's Ron Henriques: "The film not only works as a thriller, but is one of the best pictures in years to realistically look at the inner workings of a newspaper and the various elements and individuals that make it work."

• Joblo's Chris Cumbray: "Still, with a better ending, this could have been one of the best of the year, and it’s a shame that now, it’s simply going to be remembered as a decent thriller, but nothing more."

• CinemaBlend's Katey Rich: "As much fun as it is to watch the hunt, though, State of Play stumbles with the conspiracy it eventually unravels, which involves corporate intrigue and government corruption rotely familiar from dozens of other thrillers stretching back decades."

• Collider's Matt Goldberg: "While all the actors turn in fantastic work, most notable among this talented cast are Helen Mirren as the paper's managing editor and a small supporting role from Jason Bateman."

• Cinematical's Jeffrey M. Anderson: "The entire cast steps up, forming nicely rounded characters, even if they only get a few minutes of screen time."