American politics has always been dysfunctional, but the era of social media, hyperpartisanship, and a seemingly endless parade of colourful characters has made that dysfunctionality more apparent—and more entertaining—than ever before. One might expect Hollywood, always eager to capitalise on the zeitgeist, to produce a wave of classic political dramas or thrillers that capture the absurdity and tension of the current moment. Yet, with few exceptions, the industry has largely failed to deliver. Instead, audiences are left with bland, by-the-books, low-budget efforts like Affairs of State, a 2018 political thriller directed by Eric Bross that feels less like a commentary on the times and more like a relic of a bygone era of filmmaking.
The film’s narrator and protagonist is Michael Lawson (David Corenswet), a fresh-faced college graduate who arrives in Washington, D.C. with dreams of political glory. His plan is to run for Congress one day, but first, he hopes to learn the ropes by working on someone else’s campaign. His role model is Rob Reynolds (Adrian Grenier), a young and ruthless campaign manager currently working for Senator John Boland Baines (David James Elliott), a Texas senator who has formed a new centre-right United Party and is preparing to announce a presidential run. Michael would love to join Baines’s campaign, but his chances are slim—until two things change his fortunes. First, his lesbian friend and roommate Callie (Thora Birch), a talented hacker, obtains a compromising video of a conservative judge. Second, Michael’s good looks help him seduce Mary Maple (Faye Grant), a wealthy and influential Baines supporter. Using both as leverage, Michael secures a job on the campaign. But things quickly become complicated when he becomes the object of romantic interest for Baines’s wife, Judith (Mimi Rogers), while simultaneously falling for Baines’s daughter, Darcy (Grace Victoria Cox).
Director Eric Bross makes no effort to hide the film’s low budget, and Affairs of State looks and feels very much like a standard television film. The production values are modest, the cinematography is workmanlike, and the score is forgettable. The film is saved somewhat by its authentic D.C. locations and an interesting cast that includes several actors who were once major stars—at least on the small screen. David James Elliott, best known for his role in JAG, brings a certain gravitas to the role of Senator Baines, while Faye Grant, a star of the 1980s miniseries V, is suitably icy as the calculating Mary Maple. Adrian Grenier, forever associated with Entourage, plays the slick campaign manager with a degree of charm that almost makes you forget how thin the character is. Thora Birch, whose career never quite recovered after American Beauty, is a standout as the passionate left-wing activist Callie, who is visibly troubled by her roommate’s willingness to sleep—both literally and figuratively—with the ideological enemy. And David Corenswet, who would go on to play Superman a few years later, shows flashes of the talent and charisma that would make him a star, even if the material doesn’t give him much to work with.
Where the film ultimately fails is in its weak and uninspired script, written by Tom Cudworth. The plot is a messy mix of soap opera-like melodrama and generic blackmail conspiracy, and it never quite decides what it wants to be. The film’s central premise—a young man using his looks and a stolen video to climb the political ladder—could have been the foundation for a sharp satire or a tense thriller, but Cudworth’s script lacks the nuance and intelligence to pull it off. The impression is somewhat improved by an unexpected twist near the end, but by that point, the damage is done. Affairs of State disappoints most because it takes a safe, generic approach to American politics. It completely misreads the actual trends, positing that a bland centrist party is a credible alternative to the current hyperpartisan divisions in America. In an era of political upheaval and realignment, this feels not just naive, but almost willfully ignorant. And when Cudworth is unable to resolve the plot in a more nuanced and realistic fashion, he resorts to brutal violence—a cheap and unsatisfying way to end the story.
Those who seek echoes of real events in the plot might interpret it as being, in some weird way, inspired by the unsolved mystery of Seth Rich’s murder in 2016. Rich, a Democratic National Committee staffer who was killed in Washington, D.C., became a figure of conspiracy theories and political controversy. But even if Bross and Cudworth had something like that in mind, they didn’t dare say it explicitly, and the connection remains tenuous at best. The film is too cautious to commit to any real-world parallel, and this lack of courage further undermines its credibility.
In the end, Affairs of State is watchable, and it features a decent cast that has seen better days and better roles. But it is a film that should be recommended only to those viewers who lack any better alternatives. For everyone else, there are far more compelling political dramas—both real and fictional—that are well worth your time.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
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