Kick-Back Friday: #68

State of Play (2003): Not the recent Russell Crowe movie, but the BBC mini-series (on which the movie was based). There's no rule of privacy that British journalists won't violate when investigating the death of an MP's mistress. The series, comprising 6 twisty episodes, is notable for its prescient casting of up-and-comers Kelly Macdonald (No County for Old Men) and James McAvoy (Atonement). Lesser-known UK actors* John Simm, Bill Nighy (Shaun of the Dead), Polly Walker ("Rome"), Marc Warren, and David Morrissey round out the excellent cast. Morrissey, in particular, is spot-on as the distressed, self-interested MP.

MP = Member of Parliament.

* At least lesser known in America.