'The Ides of March' Exposes Nothing New in Politics
★★★1/2 Rated R
“Nothing bad happens when you're doing the right thing." "Integrity, dignity...matters."
Two characters in The Ides of March thusly declare their political stances, but how believable are they?
The rise and fall (and sometimes second rising) of politicians may seem familiar to most Americans. In the meantime, the machine behind the politician works like a chess game, sometimes tossing aside honesty and using betrayal as its unspoken rule. The book and two films of All the King's Men are now classics on how politics can corrupt, disclosing the rise to power of both the candidate and his "brain trust," while well-intentioned ideals disintegrate steadily. The Ides of March, based on Beau Willimon's play, centers on assistant campaign manager Stephen Myers (a taut, stone-faced Ryan Gosling, Drive, Blue Valentine), who could stand firm with his ideals and reverence for Pennsylvania Gov. Mike Morris (George Clooney, Up in the Air, The American, who also directed and co-wrote this film's screenplay) or instead lose his soul to become another power-hungry self-promoter.
More seasoned game players Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Moneyball, Capote), who works for Morris, and Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti, Win Win, Sideways), who directs the opposing campaign, know all the rules and when to break them, as well as how to swiftly, if need be, terminate someone's quest for power. At the center of the Ohio Democratic primary race sits Morris, a smooth, charismatic speech maker, the very image of a president. Clooney smartly casts himself in the role and the other actors are also suited to their positions. In fact, the strength of the The Ides of March relies heavily on its cast. Hoffman as Paul insists that loyalty and trust come first. He cuts down betrayers and yet remains vincible. Giamatti is as irascible as ever and, playing Tom Duffy, manipulates others using no-nonsense flattery. (Coincidentally, a character named Tiny Duffy in All the King's Men also knows how to manipulate.)
Unfortunately, the able cast cannot quite raise the old storyline to new heights. Clooney directed Ides with nods to President Clinton-like personal foibles and alludes to the downfalls of other characters, too. An intern, Molly Stearns, played by Evan Rachel Wood (The Wrestler, TV's True Blood) becomes embroiled in sexual encounters with Mike and Stephen-here's a story already well-told and not made fresh by Clooney's somewhat tension-diminishing approach, despite an element of personal tragedy. Wood does tease a bit with her "bad-girl" eyes, so that at first one isn't quite sure if she's innocent or another user-in-training. Characters transform themselves from idealists into players much too quickly, which brings their original nature and credibility into question.
Clooney occasionally adds bittersweet political humor to break up the dulled horrors of jaded characters. Marisa Tomei plays Ida Horowicz, a reporter who calls herself Stephen's friend until she doesn't get the story she wants and then taunts him playfully-and with venom-asking why he ever thought they were really friends.
The Ides of March provides another sad commentary on the state of U.S. politics and doesn't lend any hope to voters, or any impetus to protest, since cover-ups are finely executed. Instead, it's simply another in a long line of political cautionary tales. One can almost hear the scene direction: Fade to ominous music.
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