The Ides of March (2011)

In the Hollywood universe, George Clooney is probably one of the most outspoken “top tier” actors when it comes to political views. As a director, he has already ventured into the territory multiple times, offering many a vague opinion usually leaning towards his Democrat party. With his latest film, The Ides of March, he has made his most blatant statement, which still manages to be just as vague as ever. Clooney co-stars as a governor running for the presidency. He makes speeches and talks a lot about values. Ryan Gosling stars as his assistant who thinks he can hold onto his own morals despite knowing what politics are really like behind the scenes.

I don’t really understand what Clooney is trying to say here. Like Gosling’s character, this movie begins as a sermon on morality and ultimately melts into neutrality. The message seems to be that human decency simply doesn’t exist, as we are shown much of the goings-on of the inside of the political circus and the movie seems to be turning its back on it all. A lot of people have complained that the movie is just a big advertisement for the Democratic Party, but I don’t agree. Nothing that happens in this movie is strictly Democratic. All of the candidate promises could have been made by anybody, not bothering to take a stand on any major issues. Even the mumbling of insults about those darn Republicans could easily be reversed with one word change. This is not a movie about sides. If it were, it would have gone to the places I just mentioned. The politics act only as a setting and a catalyst for the story, which is very tightly written and affectionately relayed. Although it is definitely a drama over thriller, there are some moments that are absolutely chilling, a sign that the story has been well told. What use would it be if we didn’t feel anything?

The acting in the film drives it the most. There is a great supporting cast including Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood, and Paul Giamatti, all of whom are excellent, but Ryan Gosling is the one who gives what is possibly the best performance of his career. He gave three notable performances in the year, including appearing as the deceptively calm and collected stunt driver in Drive. Also, he and Emma Stone shone as a charismatic couple in the otherwise dull Crazy Stupid Love. His role in The Ides of March is nothing like either of those, but he succeeds brilliantly, proving that he really is one of the best and most versatile stars of modern Hollywood. But, the film technically succeeds in general because of Clooney’s vigorous direction. Here at the 2011 awards season, this is one of the movies getting lost in the dust, despite its worth. That is mostly because of the controversy surrounding its supposedly blatant political views, which is only a sign that people don’t know how to look beneath the surface.

8/10