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The next presidential election may be more than a year away, but the campaigning has been in full swing for quite some time now. Candidates are diligently traveling the country to let voters how they intend to fix the government. Political supporters, meanwhile, are putting out signs and spreading the word about their favorite candidate—the one whom they feel is the most sincere, the most qualified, the most deserving of the job. But if you believe that the race is clean—or that your favorite candidate is above reproach—you might learn a thing or two from George Clooney’s new political drama, The Ides of March.
Ryan Gosling stars as Stephen Myers, an idealistic young campaign staffer who fully believes in everything that Democratic hopeful Governor Mike Morris (Clooney) stands for. Together with senior campaign manager Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman), he’s doing everything he can to get Morris elected—but, first, they’ve got to make it through the all-important Ohio primary.
Everything seems to be going according to plan for the Morris campaign. They’re ahead in the polls, and they’re working on forming an important political alliance. But then, without warning, the cracks begin to show, and Stephen begins to realize that there’s no room for nice guys in politics.
Every political campaign seems to have its share of posturing, back-stabbing, and muck-raking—and that’s certainly the case for the fictional campaign in The Ides of March. But you might be surprised to find that there’s just as much dirt being flung among Morris’s own staffers as it is between candidates.
What plays out, then, is a dirty chess game—a wickedly entertaining political tango, with cunning opponents (like Hoffman’s Paul and rival campaign manager Tom Duffy, played by a perfectly cast Paul Giamatti) carefully analyzing one another, using their knowledge and experience to plan their moves well in advance.
Everyone here seems to be working an angle except for sweet, naïve Stephen, who comes into the campaign wholeheartedly believing in The System—and in his candidate’s commitment to The Greater Good. It’s not that he’s completely naïve; he knows that he’s got to play a game or two to help Morris win the election. He has to write the best speeches and shake the right hands. But there’s a certain innocence about him that Gosling gets just right—and it’s both fascinating and a little bit heartbreaking to watch as the reality of the situation sets in, gradually transforming the character forever.
Clooney, meanwhile, is in top form as the smooth-talking presidential hopeful. He’s so good, in fact, that, had someone handed me a ballot in the middle of the screening, I would have happily voted for him. Clooney has all of the class and charm of iconic film stars like Cary Grant—and, here, he plays the perfect politician, with a smile so gleaming and beatific that you won’t even stop to wonder what could be hidden behind it.
Slick and clever and delightfully shady, The Ides of March will reinforce every cynical thought that you’ve ever had about politics. It may not be entirely original, but it’s a smart and simple story that’s well-played and well-acted—and, if nothing else, it’s significantly more entertaining than any real-life political campaign.
DVD Review:
The wickedly clever style of The Ides of March comes through even more in the film’s special features. The DVD release may not be especially feature-filled, but its few features are both insightful and entertaining—perhaps a credit to the film’s calm, cool, and fun-loving director.
On the Campaign: The Cast of The Ides of March takes a quick look at the film’s remarkable cast and the characters they play. Believe: George Clooney, meanwhile, focuses its attention on the film’s director. Of course, there’s some of the usual back-patting and brown-nosing, but it’s actually a fascinating—and even informative—feature, giving a little bit of insight into what’s it’s like to work with (and for) one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
The disc also includes a commentary track, hosted by Clooney and writer/producer Grant Heslov. Like every other part of the film and its features, it’s light and easy-going, with plenty of interesting insights and entertaining anecdotes.
Each one of the extras on the Ides of March DVD release is worth a look—so, the next time you watch the film, be sure to set aside a few more minutes for the features.
