In a time when American Democrats are ruling the nation (Obama following Clinton, with a few terms of questionable Bush rule in between), it comes as no surprise that a new film about political campaigning would come out, seeking to offer a new twist on the various perils which follow candidates on the trail to the Oval Office.
Who better than Mr. Congeniality and Political Awareness himself, George Clooney, portraying a seemingly stellar presidential hopeful in The Ides of March?
What is The Ides of March About?
Told from the point of view of ambitious campaign strategist Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling, who's had a stellar year) who firmly believes in the values pushed by his candidate Mike Morris (Clooney, also the film's director), The Ides of March picks up where the Democratic team heads towards the Ohio Dems primary, a pivotal stage in the race to the White House against the Republicans. With a capable and dedicated senior campaign strategist (Philip Seymour Hoffman) showing him the way, Stephen firmly believes he can help his boss win Ohio, putting him in the lead nationwide in the presidential electoral race.
When approached by his opponent's handlers, namely an equally capable senior strategist named Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), Stephen must decide whether he truly believes in his own candidate, whether the democratic hopeful is truly as squeaky clean and full of integrity as he thinks him to be, and what such a meeting could mean for his own political career.
With some problems arising along the way -- a difficult key supporter in a major riding (Jeffrey Wright), some internal turmoil from a well-to-do intern (Evan Rachel Wood) -- Stephen must find a way to get his candidate elected...that is, without compromising his own set of beliefs in the process.
The Ides of March A Solid But Lacking Drama
There's some really good material at play in this film, produced by the very capable Grant Heslov, Clooney himself as well as Leonardo DiCaprio. The problem here is that one realizes this story's been told before, in the form of Anonymous' book Primary Colors, later made into a Clintonian tale starring John Travolta and Emma Thompson, with Adrian Lester playing the naive but dedicated campaign worker who soon grows disillusioned with his candidate of choice.
Not that this film doesn't have any good qualities, mind you. As seasoned, opposing campaign managers, Hoffman and Giamatti both bring their A-game, though neither man gets nearly enough screen time. As the idealistic Mike Morris, George Clooney comes across as a believable enough presidential hopeful, even though he becomes less and less of a figure in the overall story, unless necessary.
The bulk of the drama here rests with the supporting characters, especially in the scenes between Gosling and Wood, Gosling and Giamatti, as well as Gosling and Hoffman. It's a Gosling-centric film, you see...
The Ides of March Blu-Ray Bonus Features
There's a bit for everyone here; Clooney and Heslov offer a fair audio commentary, though one feels neither man really seemed into it at the time. The rest is pretty standard, with interview subjects praising the directorial efforts of their co-star and friend, etc. One feature everyone should watch is "What Does a Political Consultant Do?", which offers a real-life look at the hectic existence of a campaign strategist.
The Final Word on The Ides of March
This film treads familiar waters, offering very little in the way of new thrills or entertainment. Nevertheless, it offers enough of a dramatic story as to reel you in, despite the script's shortcomings and rushed process. If anything, the movie makes me want to see the Beau Willimon play, "Farragut North", on which the film is based.
The Ides of March can act as a study in democracy, free thought, and political science. Much is made about the values found in integrity, honesty, loyalty and the pursuit of one's beliefs, even when pitted against the system. In the end, though, such a lofty sight is lost in too much melodrama, resulting in a maudlin tale of compromise and regret. Effective, yes, but misguided.
The Ides of March: 3 out of 5
Dominic Messier - Dominic Messier is a Toronto-based Film & TV writer, Sci-Fi TV and Film Dramas Topic Editor, and creator of PopCultureLandscape.com
