“Never f**k the intern,” is good advice. It’s also at the heart of George Clooney’s compelling take on dirty politics based on Beau Willimon’s play Farragut North. Playing by the rules of the game is not what gets you elected as president, we all know that, but what sets the often predictable The Ides of March apart are the various foibles of the excellent cast, sustaining the audience’s attention throughout.
It’s election year, and Governor Mike Morris of Pennsylvania (Clooney) appears to be the Democratic Party’s golden boy for their presidential nomination. Many voters seem to have been won over by his rhetoric and charisma, but some still are not, which means it’s up to campaigners like Stephen Myers (Ryan Gosling) to do everything they can to turn the tide. Myers, an admitted idealist, is seduced by Morris, by everything he stands for as a candidate, and he’s willing to tell New York Times reporter Ida Horowicz (Marisa Tomei) as much. But Myers then finds himself momentarily seduced by rival campaign manager Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti) to simply meet and discuss the prospect of the young gun switching teams—an offer that he’s less than willing to inform his boss, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman), about. Then, he undergoes another seduction (albeit of a different kind) in the form of the hot blonde and young intern Molly (Evan Rachel Wood), and it’s these seemingly harmless actions that come to swiftly and significantly compromise Stephen’s idyllic worldview and political career.
Clooney, clearly more comfortable in the director’s chair since 2005’s Good Night, and Good Luck, draws from 1970s political-thrillers to present his tale, and it’s a good move. There is a specific directness to the proceeding and character development even if nothing is quite what it seems, with the use of medium shots that keep the conversations jumping, close-ups that keep the confrontations jolting, and the use of wider scenes that reinforce the impact of all the dirty dealings underneath. Of course, all that camerawork wouldn’t count for much if the actors weren’t this good. Clooney displays charm and menace with equal ease, as does Hoffman bluster and defensiveness, Tomei playfulness and pushiness, and Wood vivacity and vulnerability—although the latter is increasingly becoming typecast in way too many naughty girl roles. But the star of the show is Gosling, who imbues his Myers with a critical amount of conviction and cockiness and a gentle and steely heart that is utterly charming and manipulative all at once.
The Ides of March is far from original, but it sure is entertaining and well-made, which is worth more than a couple of votes in our books.