The Ides of March (2011)

Admirable film.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Fast moving, insider view of politics, very apt in current 2018 politics.

The Ides of March starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney. Though many of the trailers have been quite misleading once watching the film. This is Ryan Gosling's film (as the clear lead), he is enthralling as the PR man who, despite his shrewdness, is blinded by the boss's charm. Through the film, soon enough, the bombshell drops and it's lead actress (Evan Rachel Wood). Trouble is, she just happens to be the girl who Gosling has been getting cozy with. The pace quickens as he weighs up his loyalties to the governor and the girl, as well as getting pushed and pulled between rival campaign managers (Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman). The acting is heavyweight, as are the moral questions about the personal cost of serving the greater good, which propel the story with an unstoppable force. The film works due to several twists and turns throughout and there is great suspense.

Good, but not great. Interesting, but not profound. I was expecting Machiavellian machinations, but this is pretty tame by Mr Machiavelli's standards. Plot (co-written by George Clooney) is OK, though there are a few moments which are portrayed to be of great import, but make you think "So what?". So there is a feeling of contrivance. (You also wonder if the plot isn't simply a platform for Clooney's political beliefs...)George Clooney's direction is solid. Movie moves along quite effortlessly and doesn't drift. Pacing is consistent.Good performances from an all-star cast: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei. Ryan Gosling has a talking role, for once.

Even though promo material says "pulse-racing thriller," I didn't believe it and sat down to watch a potentially interesting political drama. I enjoyed the twists and turns that happened as the tension mounted, and just when I thought the movie would end on a down note as an okay morality tale about corruption in politics, I was jolted out of my seat. It was just at that moment that I remembered what "Ides of March" connotes. OMG. I've been waiting for a thriller like this! One that keeps your interest until the very last frame and then, bam! Except that in most thrillers there is a question that has to be answered and it doesn't get answered until the end. In this one, you're not even sure what the question is and bam! you get blindsided. Double the fun.I think some of the reviewers who rated this low didn't get the ending. And for those who think it is utterly cynical--I think they didn't get the ending either. Isn't Gosling's character a hero? Decide for yourself.For those who were expecting deep political ideas, or a statement about politics today, no doubt they were disappointed. This is a thriller, but unlike most thrillers where there is one protagonist who confronts danger and comes out on top, this one is all about the motives and decisions of the main players. Every twist is unexpected but makes perfect sense in retrospect. I think I'll watch it again tomorrow.