The Ides of March (2011)

[res0nat0r]

An idealistic staffer for a newbie presidential candidate gets a crash course on dirty politics during his stint on the campaign trail. Based on the play by Beau Willimon.

This looks fantastic. Look at this cast too:

	George Clooney	...	Governor Mike Morris
	Ryan Gosling	...	Stephen Myers
	Evan Rachel Wood	...	Molly Stearns
	Marisa Tomei	...	Ida Horowicz
	Paul Giamatti	...	Tom Duffy
	Philip Seymour Hoffman	...	Paul Zara
	Jeffrey Wright

I'm vying for this or Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy being my fav movie of the year.

[Highsteppa]

Re: The Ides of March (2011)

A friend of mine saw the screening at the Venice Film Fest and says that the cast is really good, but the movie can't decide if it's a political statement, a thriller or a morality tale of modern politics. He said that it wasn't really a strike against it, but it made it difficult to find the tone, especially after the great first half hour.

I'm checking it out this week at TIFF, but I've been told not to expect the caliber of Good Night, and Good Luck (Clooney's best director outing to date imo), but I generally like most of the stuff Clooney is in.

[res0nat0r]

Re: The Ides of March (2011)

Let me know what you think....

[Illuminate]

Re: The Ides of March (2011)

So when is Clooney running for Senator/President/whatever?
It was the talk of town a few years ago.

I'm checking it out this week at TIFF, but I've been told not to expect the caliber of Good Night, and Good Luck (Clooney's best director outing to date imo)..

Agree 100%

[dusk]

Re: The Ides of March (2011)

Movie is definitely on my watch list..... all of sudden it seems Ryan Gosling is in the spotlight. I absolutely loved him in Lars and the other Girl. Such a terrific off beat actor. George Clooney is win win.

[Highsteppa]

Re: The Ides of March (2011)

Okay, so I finally got around to putting down what I thought about it and while it is a crackling commentary on the state of politics and how the morality and righteousness that candidates run on are largely smoke and mirrors, it is a bit muddled in the story it's trying to tell.

It's worth a look, but it feels a bit like a mishmash of Clooney's other. better movies - touches of Michael Clayton here and there, a bit of Good Night, And Good Luck with the morality, a touch of the Good German and Up In The Air in the attitudes to the loose morality behind the facade of benign service and even a bit of a sexual thriller which doesn't really pan out into anything. It's a shame that it lacks focus, because there is a great movie in it, but it's so indecisive that it's jarring each time it shifts itself into another genre.