The Ides of March
Review by Anthony Morris
|
|
|
The Ides of March
|
|
As a director, George Clooney is developing quite the reputation for
smart, well written films that aren't afraid to make a point.
Good Night, And Good Luck took a swipe at today’s hype-spewing media by holding up the example of the crusading journalists of the 1950s; now with The Ides of March he looks at the current state of play in US politics – and not surprisingly, finds it wanting.
Set
over a few days in March (hence the title), it's the story of Stephen
Myers (Ryan Gosling), media handler for Governor Mike Morris (Clooney)
one of the candidates fighting it out for the Democratic Party’s
nomination for President.
He's a great candidate : he speaks well and holds all the right positions on the issues, and Myers actually believes in him.
This
sets him apart from his boss, campaign chief Paul Zara (Phillip Seymour
Hoffman), the media, most notably journalist Ida Horowicz (Marissa
Tomei), and even sexy intern Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood), who
seems a lot more interested in snagging Myers than helping the Governor
win the nomination.
While the attention from her is a clear
win, the attention he's getting from rival campaign boss Tom Duffy
(Paul Giamatti) is a lot more confusing. Does he just want
to throw Myers off his game? What's going on with the all-important
endorsement both sides are angling for? And can Morris really be as
perfect as he seems?
Based on a play but hardly stage-bound,
this snappy thriller moves fast and has a lot of great dialogue but
never quite manages to feel real in the way the best political
thrillers do.
Myers is slightly too idealistic to be believable
to begin with, and his decent into cynicism is too abrupt and steep to
really work.
It's a real shame, as all the performances are excellent and the numerous twists are largely handled well.
If The Ides of March
was a dumber film, its flaws would be easier to overlook : by being so
smart and so well put-together, the handful of bad notes stand out all
the more.
3.5 out
of 5
The Ides Of March
Australian release: 24th November,
2011
Official
Site: The Ides Of March
Cast: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei
Director: George Clooney
|
