HOLLYWOOD—“The Ides of March” is a political thriller that took me by surprise. Directed by Academy Award winner George Clooney, I suspected it would be interesting, but with the state of politics in America and around the world today, I wrongly believed that this would only make me feel weary and beaten down with too much political banter and subject matter. I was pleasantly surprised to be so wrong. Clooney gets a great performance out of almost anyone he works with. He has brought out the best in Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, but add to that list Ryan Gosling, who is in a role that he may on the surface look like wouldn’t be a good fit for, but it certainly works brilliantly. I suppose the moral is not to judge a book by its cover.
Yes, like politics in real life, the movie is shockingly eerily similar to the cynical and dark vision you’d expect of how major political campaigns work in present day America. But the great acting of this amazing cast brought out by Clooney seems to overshadow the often dreary subject matter of real life politics in Washington, D.C. Governor Mike Morris (played by Clooney) is a heart filled candidate much like the Obama candidacy was for young people in America in 2008. However, imagine the Obama star factor and the Clinton scandals when you think of Clooney as Governor Morris. Add to that a Kennedy-like twist and you’ve got the makings of “The Ides of March.”
Amazingly, Clooney got some of his favorite political journalists involved in his film. From wooden Rachel Maddow, to overly chatty Chris Mathews and the eloquence of Charlie Rose, each fit perfectly in the storyline. Each one makes a decent and well-acted cameo in the film. It’s good to see real life political players try to act. Don’t go to the movie if you want to see how talented Chris Matthews or Rachel Maddow are in acting, if they are the only reason you want to see the film. They play themselves, so it’s not that interesting. However, Charlie Rose is sublime, and this man belongs on the big screen.
The style of the film is fast-paced, it moves much like the former hit NBC series “The West Wing.” Clooney’s mesmerizing performance is eclipsed by the strong character actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, who is so good in the film, and plays it so believably that even though he’s no great looker, you want to see more of him by the end of the film. He offers an Oscar worthy performance as the smarmy political hack opposite the almost good guy of Ryan Gosling’s character in the film.
The movie is probably closer to the true life of Washington backstabbing, gambling, media manipulation than many want to see, and it shows what candidates really do when they are not in front of the prying eyes of voters or the elite media. What they do is more backstabbing and manipulations and downright scary backdoor deals that make you want to jump out of your seat and run to the exit. What stops you? Clooney, Hoffman and Gosling.
Watch out for the New York Times reporter, played brilliantly by talented and lovely actress Marisa Tomei, who explains to Hoffman’s character that candidate Morris won’t have a chance at winning the election with his positive mantra of change and better days to come. I wanted to have her arrested on the spot for being so honest, and she is very believable in the part as well. And another gorgeous dame in “Ides” is “True Blood” and “Mildred Pierce” stunner Evan Rachel Wood, who plays the Monica Lewinksy-type role as an office intern. Can’t you see where this is all headed? I bet you think you can, but leave it to George Clooney to throw you off the track with the obvious ploys, only to turn the story on its head by the end of the picture.
The Washington Beltway needs more exit ramps, because Clooney’s work will send Congressional and White House staffers headed out of town before the next earthquake hits the city of D.C.
“The Ides of March” receives Five of Five Stars from this reviewer, and the film opens on Friday, October 7. Don’t miss it!
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