'The Ides of March' (2011) - Movie Review

What is more agonising about The Ides of March, witnessing the ill will that exists in politics or the destruction of one diehard politico's idealistic nature?

 
In what has to be described as a movie centred more on the timeless themes of honour, loyalty and loss of innocence rather than centring on actual political events, The Ides Of March seeks to remove the wool from our eyes and expose the political game in the same dreary and down to earth way that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy reflected on espionage in Cold War Britain. You'll leave this one feeling more disconnected than hopeful, apathetic rather than enthusiastic. Yet, that appears to be exactly what Mr Clooney - a liberal diehard in his own right - is trying to pull off. 

This is the fourth time Clooney has snuck behind - and at the same time remained in front of - the camera. He's developed an Orson Welles-like ability to direct, co-write and act in his own work - and he also uses his strengths and experiences to create gritty, quirky and thoughtful films. 

Set in the gloomy backdrop of overcast Ohio, The Ides of March follows Governor Mike Morris's (George Clooney) campaign to become the Democratic candidate for the upcoming Presidential election. His opponent - Senator Pullman (Michael Mantell) - is rarely seen or heard from. This odd fact goes to show what this movie is really about – the behind the scenes workings of the two candidates’ crack advisory teams. 

Behind Morris are two starkly different walks of life. In one corner we have the strutting idealist of this Shakespearean influenced tale, Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). And in the other corner of Team Morris we have the robust, stoic and jagged campaign manager, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Stephen is the power suit to Paul's no-frills glasses and note pad. 

Team Morris.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the card we have Senator Pullman's mastermind, Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti). Equally as robust and soft bellied as Paul, both men share the wisdom that time and experience provides. But it’s only when Duffy seeks to deal with Stephen, who we often hear described as a master-media-mind, that we see his real genius emerge. He politically flirts with Stephen at almost the exact same time that Stephen starts shagging - yes, you guessed it - the campaign intern (Evan Rachel Wood). 

Stephen Meyers: You can lie, you can cheat, you can start a war, you can bankrupt the country, but you can't fuck the interns. They get you for that.

Political flirting.

Whenever these three behind-the-scenes men are on screen our interest grows. Seymour Hoffman and Giamatti were born to battle in political dramas - and they don't disappoint. It’s like watching Bird and Magic go at it… minus the physical prowess. I don't know whether it's their crustiness, growl, or their ability to draw us in with a mere look, they are simply tremendous. It's also refreshing to see these blokes unleashed and allowed to take a political drama to an intelligent, ideological and cynical level. And it's darker than anything the politically savvy Aaron Sorkin has ever conjured up. 

Tom Duffy: You stay in this business long enough, you get jaded and cynical.

Behind the success of this film is the screenplay that Clooney and Heslov adapted from Bill Willimon's play, Farragut North. The script is scathing in its assessment of the political wheeling and dealing that often unfolds in pursuit of the W. And there's also depth to this script, as it goes deeper than just retelling the oft-told story of crushed idealism. For where the play never went as far as to show Morris, instead choosing to concentrate solely on those behind the main man, Clooney's supporting role as Morris adds another dimension to a thrilling tale. Nothing hits deeper than the dialogue free scene where Paul (Hoffman) is hailed into the Governor's hulking black S.U.V., which was parked in a dark and wet Cincinnati side street, only to emerge a minute later with a dismantled look on his face.

The cinematography by Phedon Papamichael is gloomy. Ohio looks like Britain... at the worst of times. Sludge underfoot and gray skies above, there's not much these politicians would want to write home about. And once you add in the rousing patriot music, created by Alexandre Desplat, you have a polished product which sets an appropriate tone. 

Gosling is superb as the leading man – but – I couldn't help but wonder if this role was actually written for DiCaprio. All credit to Gosling, though, the bloke held his own and his overly expressive eyes had us feeling his plight. And when you add in the roles played by Hoffman, Giamatti, Clooney, Wood and Marisa Tomei - who plays a strong willed NY Times journalist following the campaign - our investment in Gosling’s character grows. 

The Ides of March demonstrates how a topical and dialogue driven film can be both intelligent and entertaining. So, why don't studios invest more in this rather than just throwing everything at the next billion ‘CGI demolishing an entire city’ dollar flick?

8/10