The Ides of March - 2011

Cross Creek Pictures, Exclusive Media Group, Smoke House

Directed by George Clooney

Cast:

• Governor Mike Morris – George Clooney
• Stephen Meyers – Ryan Gosling
• Paul Zara – Phillip Seymour Hoffman
• Tom Duffy – Paul Giamatti
• Molly Stearns – Evan Rachel Wood
• Ida Horowicz – Marisa Tomei
• Senator Thompson – Jeffrey Wright

Story: In Ohio, the hotly contested race for the Democratic Presidential Nomination is on, Governor Morris's team is making deals, advising their candidate, and trying to keep ahead of the opponent. The bright young assistant campaign manager is working with the interns, keeping them hopping by doing all the leg work while he is busy analyzing the data. He soon discovers two problems. First, he finds out a 20 year old intern is pregnant...by the candidate. Second, he gets a call from the campaign manager of the opponent. Things quickly deteriorate from that point, and he has to decide if he will play hard ball with the big boys or take his football and go home. A well written and well directed political drama that will keep you riveted to the screen.

Review: This is not Clooney's first time in the director's chair, and his abilities as a director and an actor are constantly improving. While the film is about the Presidential race, the action centers around Gosling's character, and he seems to segue nicely from his previous romantic comedy - action adventure roles into something a bit more serious. His connection with Evan Rachel Wood is touching and real, something that might happen in the discreet world of politics, and his hypocrisy and elitist attitude is concealed in their affair. Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti are dynamic and powerful as the opposing campaign managers, and Marisa Tomei is the investigative reporter who knows how to twist the arm of her sources. Clooney also wrote the screenplay. An overall tour de force for Clooney, with solid acting, smooth action, and a surprising twist at the end. Sex and language prevent this from being a family film, but the adults and later teens will be enthralled by the accuracy of the campaign process. Collectible if you like politics.