The Ides of March [DVD]

'The Ides of March' is a political drama-thriller film that released in 2011 to critical acclaim and proved to be a resounding box-office hit. The film is an adaptation of the 2008 play, 'Farragut North' written by Beau Willimon. The play itself is loosely based on the 2004 Democratic primary campaign of Howard Dean (American politician and Ex-Governor of Vermont).

The feature revolves around Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) who is the Junior Campaign Manager for Mike Morris (George Clooney), Governor of Pennsylvania and a Democratic presidential candidate. As the presidential primary heats up, Meyers struggles with his aspirations. He becomes torn apart by love, ambition and by the rude awakening of corruption within politics.

I wasn't so sure about this George Clooney directed feature, which looked like it was going to be boring containing an over-dose of American politics. Before you read further, I would like to say that I was wrong.

Well on watching it, I was compelled with the story, which contained almost about everything from friendship, lust, innocence, corruption, love, backstabbing to revenge. Oops, the main theme I forgot to mention is politics and that too in moderation. From the first minute to the final seconds, the movie keeps your attention. The start is a bit slow but the pace speeds up by every passing moment. The build-up of tension is fantastic especially in the latter stages. The finale is fitting and really enjoyable.

The performances of the actors is what really makes this movie work. George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman (Senior Campaign Manager Paul Zara) and Paul Giamatti (Opposing Campaign Manager Tom Duffy) prove why they are heavyweights in acting. Marisa Tomei is just about okay as the egoistic news reporter Ida. I was a little disappointed with Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood) who plays the love interest of Gosling, she seemed out of sorts and not up to the mark of the rest of the actors. Now, the best for the last, Mr Ryan Gosling acts with great intensity and matures with each passing scene. This is Gosling's show all the way.

The direction by George Clooney is impressive as this is a really interesting fare. However, in my opinion, he under utilized the services of Hoffman and Giamatti. I was so looking forward to both actors having a proper face-off but it never happens. In the other hand, Clooney does nail a cracking scene, which involves him and Gosling near the end. It's my favorite scene.

The background music score by Alexandre Desplat is full of suspense and actually keeps the pace of the film steady without dropping. A quality score.

'The Ides of March' is rather intelligent and one of the best political thrillers I've ever seen.

"The Ides of March" didn't grab me for the first hour or so. We all watch the news enough to realise that US politics is a sleazy business so it felt that I was seeing nothing new.

However a fast paced last 45 minutes more than made up for this.

Ryan Gosling plays Stephen Myers, the media savvy deputy campaign manager for Governor Mike Morris, played by George Clooney. They are in the run up to the crucial Ohio Democratic Party presidential primary. The race is neck and neck and whoever wins Ohio will be in a great position to take the White House.

Myers, though battle hardened genuinely believes that his candidate can will a real difference if elected. This came across as a bit naïve to me, but I suppose George can persuade you he can do anything!

Two actions set in motion the crisis that will envelope the main characters. First Myers, again rather naively in my opinion, secretly meets the rival campaign manager. He also starts an affair with a young campaign intern.

It is when the consequences of these events become clear that the movie really gets going. The ending is filled with tension though you are left with the inevitable conclusion that politics is a very dirty business and you have to look out for number one.

Clooney directs and co-writes as well as acting and he does a fine job. The film lasts less than two hours but packs in a lot of characters and a fairly complicated plot.

The cast is excellent. As well as Gosling and Clooney Philip Seymour Hoffman , Paul Giamatti and Evan Rachel Wood put in great performances.

In The Ides Of March, George Clooney plays Mike Morris, a governor who is running an intelligent and idealistic campaign for President. Ryan Gosling plays his junior campaign manager, a fervent believer in Morris's suitability for the role, resembling in some ways the many young people who got involved with Obama's presidential campaign in 08

An adaptation by Beau Willimon with George Clooney and Grant Heslov of Willimon's play Farragut North, the trailer for this film gives incorrect impressions about the plot of the film implying that certain events occur that don't actually occur. In other ways too it gives the potential viewer the wrong message. I for example expected a political thriller; it delivers all of the politics but none of the thriller.

The film is 97 minutes long. Nothing of any real note happens in this film for precisely 53 minutes, I know because I paused it when something finally happened, up until this point all that is established is the parameters of this world. What remains is 40 minutes or so of double crossing of varying success.

I was very disappointed when I missed this in the cinema, but now feel rather relieved. Very little happens in it other than the slow destruction of a young man's naivety. Though both Clooney and Gosling are very strong, the kitchen scene, for example is excellent, this film really does not have much substance to speak of at all, and has a boring first hour of subjects which were handled in a better, more erudite and defter way by The West Wing some years ago.

Frankly, I was bored, and was extremely surprised that I was so bored. Not worth paying for in any respect, see it when it comes on TV as part of your package or on a free channel. 5/10