Considering the troubling times we're currently stewing in, "The Ides of March" has been released at an opportune moment, tempting the discontented with a story of utter political corruption. Of course, we've been here before, with cinema always there to expose the evils of ambition, especially when it concerns the fanged machine of Washington. The feature is a perfect fit for co-writer/director/star George Clooney, who constructs a decidedly modern take on underhanded business, yet channels the movie-making masters of 1970s to help reach an unsettling position of stillness, watching as corrupt men and women slowly come to the realization that they've lost their integrity. It's a sharp, satisfying plunge into duplicity, perhaps Clooney's most intriguing offering as a filmmaker.
Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) is a hotshot aide to Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney), a Democratic presidential candidate using rampant idealism to bewitch voters. Stationed in Ohio, the Morris team scrambles to secure local support, with campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) frantically working his connections to help the cause. On a whim, Stephen decides to take a lunch meeting with Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), a top dog with the party rival, curious as to what he'll find. When word of that meeting spreads to New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz (Marisa Tomei), Stephen slips into panic mode, a prison cell of paranoia exacerbated by his affair with Morris intern Molly Stearns (Evan Rachael Wood), a young woman holding numerous secrets that could bring down the entire campaign.
Adapted from the play "Farragut North" by Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March" sheds every bit of stage-bound immobility, pushing forward as a charging piece of drama, perfectly at home on the big screen under Clooney's expert care. Established as just another tale of innocence lost in the pro-wrestling world of modern politics, the material proceeds to introduce subtle changes of behavior, revealing itself to be a thematically rich investigation of honor in a vocation that feeds on dishonesty. The screenplay doesn't blare any horns, instead assuming a serpentine route of revelation, observing Stephen's arc move from buoyant political conductor to a cheated man out for revenge, only understanding the true purpose of his work when he's finally tasted fraud, comprehending that gamesmanship, not optimism, is the key to winning public office.
This is a cynical film, kept afloat by its thriller overtones, gradually morphing into a tale of suspicion as Stephen comprehends the depth of sin inside the Morris campaign. "The Ides of March" is provocative but also enormously entertaining, held in place by Gosling's riveting performance in the lead role, supported by a superb ensemble of meaty character actors having a ball chewing on the juicy acts of intimidation and humiliation that litter the story. It's a stellar cast, sniffing out that uncomfortable place between professionalism and utter chair-throwing rage, summarizing politics as a world where everyone is out to get everyone, but there's always a handshake and smile to greet even the vilest opponent. Clooney captures such visceral frustration, that it keeps the picture fresh, even when the finale encounters formulaic acts of blackmail. The script needs a little convention to provide a conclusion, but the moments leading up to the climax are irresistible in their extraordinary discomfort and eye-quaking wrath.
"The Ides of March" retains the sensation of a terrific Sidney Lumet film; steady with dark material, yet procedural enough to make the viewer feel like they're learning something about the system. The balance is wonderfully maintained by Clooney, who saves his knockout punch for the final shot, studying the life in Stephen's eyes drain away, capturing the exact moment where the soul has dried up, replaced by steely, rehearsed political ambition. Chilling, but the truth often is.
Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) is a hotshot aide to Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney), a Democratic presidential candidate using rampant idealism to bewitch voters. Stationed in Ohio, the Morris team scrambles to secure local support, with campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman) frantically working his connections to help the cause. On a whim, Stephen decides to take a lunch meeting with Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), a top dog with the party rival, curious as to what he'll find. When word of that meeting spreads to New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz (Marisa Tomei), Stephen slips into panic mode, a prison cell of paranoia exacerbated by his affair with Morris intern Molly Stearns (Evan Rachael Wood), a young woman holding numerous secrets that could bring down the entire campaign.
Adapted from the play "Farragut North" by Beau Willimon, "The Ides of March" sheds every bit of stage-bound immobility, pushing forward as a charging piece of drama, perfectly at home on the big screen under Clooney's expert care. Established as just another tale of innocence lost in the pro-wrestling world of modern politics, the material proceeds to introduce subtle changes of behavior, revealing itself to be a thematically rich investigation of honor in a vocation that feeds on dishonesty. The screenplay doesn't blare any horns, instead assuming a serpentine route of revelation, observing Stephen's arc move from buoyant political conductor to a cheated man out for revenge, only understanding the true purpose of his work when he's finally tasted fraud, comprehending that gamesmanship, not optimism, is the key to winning public office.
This is a cynical film, kept afloat by its thriller overtones, gradually morphing into a tale of suspicion as Stephen comprehends the depth of sin inside the Morris campaign. "The Ides of March" is provocative but also enormously entertaining, held in place by Gosling's riveting performance in the lead role, supported by a superb ensemble of meaty character actors having a ball chewing on the juicy acts of intimidation and humiliation that litter the story. It's a stellar cast, sniffing out that uncomfortable place between professionalism and utter chair-throwing rage, summarizing politics as a world where everyone is out to get everyone, but there's always a handshake and smile to greet even the vilest opponent. Clooney captures such visceral frustration, that it keeps the picture fresh, even when the finale encounters formulaic acts of blackmail. The script needs a little convention to provide a conclusion, but the moments leading up to the climax are irresistible in their extraordinary discomfort and eye-quaking wrath.
"The Ides of March" retains the sensation of a terrific Sidney Lumet film; steady with dark material, yet procedural enough to make the viewer feel like they're learning something about the system. The balance is wonderfully maintained by Clooney, who saves his knockout punch for the final shot, studying the life in Stephen's eyes drain away, capturing the exact moment where the soul has dried up, replaced by steely, rehearsed political ambition. Chilling, but the truth often is.