By: Jarred Braxton
A young and intelligent campaign manager to a potential presidential candidate gets a lesson in dirty politics, in the sharp political thriller, “The Ides of March.”
The film is an adaptation of a play called “Farragut North” by Beau Willimon.
“The Ides of March” is produced, written, directed and stars Academy Award winner George Clooney (“Michael Clayton”, “Syriana”) as Governor Mike Morris, a promising prospect for occupying the White House if he gets elected.
Morris is managed and guided by his senior campaign manager Paul Zara, played by Academy Award winner Phillip Seymour Hoffman (“Capote”, “Charlie Wilson’s War”), and deputy campaign manager Steven Myers, played by Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling (“Blue Valentine”, “Crazy, Stupid, Love”).
Morris’ campaign faces its greatest challenge because the state ofOhiois up for grabs, and if Morris takes it, he is a shoe-in for the democratic nomination for president. However the race is just as important to Steven because the rewards for assisting the man who could be the next president are monumental.
Steven is good at what he does. So good in fact, he attracts the eye of the Tom Duffy, played by Academy Award nominee Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”, “Cinderella Man”), who approaches him with an uneasy crisis of conflict — to work for another campaign.
Duffy’s offer then spirals into a series of ethical dilemmas for Steven, which sends him stumbling into a scandal that involves the governor and a lovely young intern named Molly, played by Evan Rachel Wood (“Across the Universe”, “True Blood”).
“The Ides of March,” is a very patient, intelligent, simple yet stimulating thriller about ethical lapses in judgment, consequences, hypocrisy and loyalty.
This movie is a prime piece that illustrates the heightened level of risk involved in the world of politics and how one mistake can be monumentally costly and loyalty can be greatly rewarded yet easily discarded.
Clooney’s fourth directorial outing is a well-paced film that leaves a fascinatingly thoughtful impression that leads the audience to question the integrity of the elected official that you could vote for.
Clooney has a solid outing in every aspect of his motion picture. The directing was smooth, it was well written, and he was quite convincing as a candidate for the presidency.
Gosling was superb. His development throughout the film was very polarizing as he transformed from a naïve assistant to a cutthroat outcast with nothing to lose.
The rest of the cast was top-notch. Hoffman, Wood, Giamatti and even Academy Award nominee Marisa Tomei, who plays a pesky political reporter, were very immersed in their roles.
This is a movie that gives audiences a real perspective in the world of politics; where consequences are severe, failure is costly, virtue is expendable and the only thing that matters is winning — whatever the cost.
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