Film: The Ides of March
Cast includes: Ryan Gosling (Drive), George Clooney (Up in the Air), Philip Seymour Hoffman (Moneyball), Paul Giamatti (Sideways), Evan Rachel Wood (The Conspirator), Marisa Tomei (The Lincoln Lawyer)
Writer/Director: George Clooney (Good Night, and Good Luck.)
Genre: Drama/Political Thriller, based on a play by Beau Willimon (2011)
Stephen Meyers “will do or say anything if he believes in the cause.” And he does… as a high level staffer on Governor Mike Morris’s campaign for the Presidency, Stephen knows he’s backing the right man. “He’s the only one whose going to make a difference in people’s lives.” Morris is in the lead in Ohio, but Pullman still has a chance. A lot is riding on the endorsement of Senator Thompson. If Pullman gets the endorsement, it could tip the balance. The Ohio primary is critical, and so is Thompson’s endorsement.
If you’re a Democrat/Liberal/Progressive, Morris says all the right things… a dream candidate with intelligence, integrity and charisma. That’s why Tom Duffy of the Pullman team can’t entice Stephen into switching teams. In the meantime a young intern, named Molly, doesn’t have much trouble enticing Stephen into bed. There’re both single and unattached… why not. But in a high-stakes campaign, you have to be so careful about everything. Actions have consequences and you never know which actions will come back to bite you… and which will bite someone else. “It doesn’t matter what you thought,” Paul Zara tells him. “It matters what you did. It matters what you didn’t do.”
Once again George Clooney has given us an insightful view behind the curtain of our political process. Although Clooney may be well known for his progressive political views, this film isn’t a promotion of those views. The Mike Morris character makes speeches espousing liberal views, but we gradually learn that the speeches and political views are only one part of the equation. The story line has many interrelated threads and it’s not obvious how they’re going to come together. “Every time I draw a line in the sand, I move it. I can’t on this,” Morris tells Stephen. But sadly all lines seem to be movable. And it’s not just Morris who draws lines in the sand.
3 popped kernels
Intelligent political thriller with lots to talk about at the end
Popcorn Profile
Rated: R
Primary Audience: Grown-ups
Gender Appeal: Any audience
Distribution: Mainstream wide release
Mood: Both upbeat and somber
Tempo: Cruises comfortably
Visual Style: Nicely varnished realism
Character Development: Engaging
Language: True to life
Social Significance: Thought provoking
