"The ambitious have no friends."
That line may be considered cliché but, like all clichés, is rooted in truth. In The Ides of March - based on the play Farragut North by Beau Willimon - the main character, played by Ryan Gosling, starts and ends the film alone. Whatever his situation may be at the end of the movie, he is still isolated from other humans, unable to cross the gulf his ruthless ambition has built.
It's the central motif in a stunning film from George Clooney, which shows the dirty side of American politics and the lengths people will go to fulfill their dreams. While the plot of dishonest politics is so overused as to become cliché, Clooney pulls excellent performances from his cast and uses understatement to drive home some stunning scenes.
George Clooney Directs The Ides of March, Starring Ryan Gosling, Evan Rachel Wood, Paul Giamatti
Stephen Myers (Gosling) is the assistant campaign manager for Governor Mike Morris (Clooney), a finalist in the Democratic Primary. Myers genuinely believes that Morris is someone who will truly affect change in the White House, much to the bemusement of his boss Paul Zara (Phillip Seymour Hoffman), rival campaign manager Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti) and amusement of veteran journalist Ida Horowicz (Marisa Tomei). Mike Morris is riding high with a campaign that echoes legendary political motifs, such as the Shepard Fairey-esque poster and signs saying "We Like Mike."
But Myers' affair with a pretty intern (Evan Rachel Wood) takes a darker turn when she reveals a secret that could destroy Morris' campaign, and Myers' career. Even worse, Tom Duffy is wooing Myers, telling him that he should jump ship to his office before it's too late. As wheels within wheels are discovered, can Myers avoid becoming another victim of the dirtiest game in town?
It's hard to say what's more impressive: how George Clooney has come into his own as a director, or how Ryan Gosling establishes himself as a dramatic leading man. A tight drama in the same vein as Glengarry Glen Ross and The Candidate, it shows the lengths people will go in pursuit of their dreams. The Ides of March doesn't feature the most complex story but Clooney handles it well while playing a presidential candidate who's a lot less than he seems.
One scene in particular demonstrates Clooney's mastery of understatement: he shows us a character getting fired without any dialogue and the only visual is a black SUV parked in a snow-covered alley. It's a remarkable achievement.
While the film's trope of political chicanery was old hat in 1971, the cast's performances redeem the over-used themes. As the ruthlessly ambitious young handler, Gosling shows he's ready for prime time, negotiating the twists and turns his character must handle if he's going to survive in the snakepit he's willingly entered. Philip Seymour Hoffman delivers another solid turn as a veteran manager with a major Achilles Heel, while Giamatti nails the role of a rival who left his scruples behind long ago. And Evan Rachel Wood is solid as a pretty, ambitious girl who suddenly finds herself in way over her head.
The Ides of March a Solid, Compelling Political Drama
Okay, so a film detailing the corruption of American politics is nothing new, but surefooted work from director/actor Clooney and great performances from his cast, and it's no surprise that The Ides of March gets a 4.5/5.
Dominic von Riedemann - Dominic is the Animated Film Feature Writer, and winner of 11 Suite 101 Editors' Choice Awards.
Join the Conversation