Michael Lawson (David Corenswet) works for Senator John Baines (David James Elliott) as his Presidential campaign aide. He obtained the job by blackmailing Baines' advisor, Rob Reynolds (Adrian Grenier), with a sex tape that he procured with the assistance of his tech-savvy roommate, Callie (Thora Birch), and by sleeping with one of the campaign donors, Mary Maples (Faye Grant). After sleeping with Baines' wife, Judith (Mimi Rogers), while falling for her daughter, Darcy (Grace Victoria Fox), Michael finds himself in a quagmire that puts his own life at risk. The plot's twists and turns won't be spoiled here because the less you know about Affairs of State before watching it, the better.

      Affairs of State is a gripping political thriller that becomes increasingly dark and refreshingly unpredictable. Director Eric Bross and screenwriter Tom Cudworth do a great job of creating a foreboding atmosphere of paranoia throughout the film. Whom, if anyone, can Michael trust? Can Michael himself even be trusted for that matter? He's not an entirely likable protagonist nor is he particularly bright. He has good looks that he uses to get what he wants, but, to be fair, he's in an field of work that enables his behavior along with the toxic relationships that he has with Judith, Darcy, Senator Baines and others. Beyond Michael's physical attractiveness, though, his personality seems rather bland and his character feels the least lived-in. On the other hand, Callie has the most discernible and interesting personality which is especially evident when she quips or uses sarcasm, i.e. when she says to Judith in a sarcastic tone, "Have a blessed day!" Not only is Callie tech-savvy, but also has some knowledge of law as it turns out in one scene. It's a breath of fresh air to see a female character onscreen who's truly bright and not objectified for a change.

      The screenplay by Cudworth weaves a plot that's complex without being complicated, exhausting or convoluted. This isn't a dry, sleep-inducing thriller like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. The pace moves along briskly without a dull moment, and there's no excessive exposition or unnecessary subplots to be found. Within the first few minutes, you know precisely what kind of film you're about to watch, and filmmakers manage to effectively hook you into the film right away. Moreover, Affairs of State tackles the topic of political corruption in a way that's provocative and even somewhat timely without being heavy-handed. The same can be said about how it shows the very seductive nature of money and power. If its plot were to incorporate the supernatural somehow, it would've been safe to call it a Shakespearean tale because it has all of the Shakespearean elements except for a supernatural element. To a certain extent, Affairs of State can be seen as a horror film. Its ending is even more scary and shocking than Hereditary's twist ending because it's something that could indeed happen in reality. If you're a fan of the cynical political thrillers from the 1970's, Affairs of State will not leave you disappointed. It would make for a great double feature with In the Loop, a very smart, funny and biting political satire.