Whenever you mention Ryan Gosling‘s name these days, someone in the vicinity usually pipes in with ‘he’s so hot right now’. The actor has had three films in the cinema recently, including critics favourite Drive and mainstream romcom Crazy Stupid Love. The third film, The Ides of March, a political drama directed by George Clooney (Good Night and Good Luck), is released this week. It definitely seems like Gosling’s star has risen to permanent A-list status, there is even a campaign running to try and topple Bradley Cooper from the number one spot on The People’s Sexiest Man Alive list, and have him replaced with golden boy Gosling.
In The Ides of March Gosling plays Stephen Meyers, an ambitious junior campaign manager/media advisor for Democrat’s new hope, Governor of Pennsylvania Mike Morris (Clooney). An impressive cast has been assembled for this drama about the corruptive nature of power. Philip Seymour Hoffman (Moneyball) plays senior campaign manager Paul Zara and Max Minghella (The Social Network) and Evan Rachel Wood (The Wrestler) are also on Morris’ campaign. On the opposing side is Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti, Win Win), the highly tactical campaign manager for a rival Democrat candidate, Senator Pullman.
Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling) at Mike Morris' Ohio HQ
As the primaries heat up, both Democrats need to win Ohio to try and secure their numbers for the Presidential race. Morris is a non-religious, liberal stateman, who represents the best of what the Democrats can be; pro-choice and pro-social services, a man who wants to improve America’s standing in the world through diplomacy not war. Meyers is a hotshot media expert who has fallen hard for Morris’ policies, believing he is working for the future US President. However when a moment of vanity sees Meyers take a meeting with Duffy, a chain of events is pushed into action and his political dreams begin to unravel.
The Ides of March is a solid political drama with some interesting twists and turns, however it lacks the punch you expect from the socially conscious Clooney. Adapted from a 2008 play by Beau Willimon called Farragut North, the film proves to be entertaining to watch, but some of the plot contrivances are a little on the nose. The biggest complaint can probably be made about the use of the film’s female cast. Jennifer Ehle (Contagion) as the Governor’s wife (barely on screen at all), Evan Rachel Wood’s as the sassy intern and Marisa Tomei‘s (The Wrestler) as the rapacious New York Times reporter all feel more like cariactures than fully realised characters.
Governor Mike Morris (George Clooney)
But this film is really about men, and how men attain and negotiate power. Manipulation, lies and corruption affects even the best of men in this film. It is in the scenes between the four central male characters, Clooney, Gosling, Hoffman and Giamatti that the film shines, with the dialogue crackling in the exchanges. As the characters each struggle to maintain the upperhand, the film shows how your strengths can be used against you and that pride most certainly comes before a fall.
The Ides of March is released in Australia on November 24th
Director: George Clooney
Cast: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Woods,
Max Minghella, Marisa Tomei, Jeffery Wright, Jennifer Ehle
