The Ides of March, 2011.
Directed by George Clooney.
Starring George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella and Jennifer Ehle.
SYNOPSIS:
The Ides of March puts us on the campaign trail of potential Democratic candidate for the presidency Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney) with campaign manager Paul Zara (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) and his second in charge Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). During the political dogfight between the Democratic candidate campaigns, the idealistic Stephen gets a crash course in dirty politics.
I want to start with lauding Clooney’s move from actor to director once again with The Ides of March. His debut with the criminally underrated Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (starring the great Sam Rockwell) was followed up with the phenomenal Murrow vs McCarthy, Good Night, and Good Luck, and despite a dip critically with his drift into the rom-com genre with Leatherheads he’s well and truly back to form in The Ides of March. Firstly his direction is terrifically paced and transitions from the grandeur of the campaign – to the tense behind closed doors machinations of political betrayal. The aesthetic feels authentic, open and well lit (perhaps transparent) in the beginning but progress is engulfed in shadow and dark spaces. He extracts great performances from everyone involved – and is able to balance that with his own fantastically nuanced performance.
The writing is sharp and it is infused with current political argument and debate – as well as Clooney / Heslov’s progressive political ideas that give his character Morris a greater authenticity and point of difference. I also enjoyed the necessary but exceptionally tenuous relationship between the political campaigns and their media counterparts. They are sleeping with the enemy (figuratively) constantly and there is a great insight into the interplay between friendship and being a ‘source’. The story arc is constructed excellently – having you invest in all of the characters fully before the story is ‘torpedoed’ so to speak. The relationships between Meyers & Zara / Zara & Morris / Morris & Meyers etc. are allowed time to establish their different and interesting dynamics. I will say that when the controversy hits in this film (and no, I’m not going to tell you what it is) I found myself unconsciously leaning forward in my seat. It is a pretty intriguing film that actually makes you sit up straighter in your seat (especially me) – this is one of the best political thrillers that I’ve seen in some time.
Finally, the players in this film are truly of an award winning critical calibre. Firstly PSH (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), one of the finest actors of our generation, is great as the campaign trail hardened manager whose ‘seen it all’ and is grooming/mentoring Stephen along the way. He’s great in the pragmatic wise role and has a great performance space to play his political game. Next let’s mention Paul Giamatti, who is also vying for that ‘actor of our generation’ mantle with PSH. Effortlessly great in really any role – and even with minimal screen time – he plays PSH’s equivalent on the opposite side of the campaign, who tempts Stephen with a scenario that triggers the beginnings of the political game. I’ll mention quickly Marisa Tomei for her great (if brief) performance as the journalist connection to the campaign; also Evan Rachel Wood – growing in stature with each new role – playing Molly, an intern for the campaign who gets involved with Stephen.
Did you think I could forget to mention the phenomenal Ryan Gosling? Two really stellar performances in two totally different roles this year. This time, as opposed to Drive, he’s a charming, idealistic, intelligent, people person lauded for his understanding of the media in the political campaign game. He’s got the great (almost ‘Brutus’) transition from ‘true believer’ to ‘cynic’ and it feels totally authentic. And really people he’s ridiculously good looking too. Fun for the whole family!
The Ides of March sets the same tone as the great political thrillers like All the Presidents Men but it brings it to a fictionalised present (which ever so slightly softens its impact). This is a great political thriller and I highly recommend it. It will surprise you and have you literally on the edge of your seat.
Blake Howard is a writer/site director/podcaster at the castleco-op.com. Follow him on Twitter here: @BLAGatCCO.
Originally published December 6, 2011. Updated April 10, 2018.
