The Ides of March

Movie
2011

First let me note that this movie featured fine performances by top tier talent. George Clooney played the Governor and Democratic Presidential candidate with just the right calmness and grace of someone in the game at that level. Phillip Seymor Hoffman was once again simply outstanding as was Paul Giamatti playing rival campaign managers. These two in particular, have they ever given a bad performance? What can you say about Ryan Gosling, he was just great.

Here comes the however, however, the script, the story, was run of the mill political intrigue, absolutely nothing new. It only solidified what all of us already know - politics is soulless and cut throat.

The story was completely predictable - in fact my wife whispered in my ear every plot twist as if it was a freight train barreling across the Great Plains. Even the moralizing speeches that Governor Morris (Clooney) sprinkled throughout might as well have been the same speeches given by Michael Douglas in "The American President" back in '95. "You know how we fight terrorism?" he asks. "We stop buying their product, their product is oil. Stop buying oil!" Umm, OK, what you gonna put in those big SUV's and that campaign bus you're driving all over the country Governor? This was just one of the nauseating boiler plate liberal quips - and there were a lot more.

The young intern played by Evan Rachel Wood was a bit of a cliche. She's a fine young actor, but the role, the role the whole movie pivots on, was weak. A 20 year old daughter of a political family caught up in the idealism of a hope and change campaign and all she could think to do with herself was spread her legs.

I'm not saying The Ides of March wasn't a good movie or that it wasn't well done, it was, both... I'm saying it was nothing new, we learn absolutely nothing. In the end you have to wonder how everyone involved with such things doesn't end up truly despising themselves.

3 of 5 stars

CW