The Ides of March Review

Let’s not beat around the bush here, American politics and the hype around it’s inhabitants could be likened to a circus. It’s the whole Campaign trail thing that being British we don’t get or understand. It makes sense in America because it’s such a big country and divided by state lines but from the outside it just comes across a bit creepy, ‘Roll up, roll up come and see the latest god loving, silver haired pillock with unnatural white dentures.’ 

So as a British viewer of George Clooney’s ‘The Ides of March’ I’m intrigued to go behind the scenes of one of these campaigns, to see into the world of the consultants pulling the strings. What this film does is very clever! It takes it’s audience into the heart of the circus and although it’s showing us something that we’re all guessing is going on anyway (cover ups blackmail etc.), the film gives us something human. That’s the thing these campaigns always miss, they go for the spin and the staged photos, but the rawness of what it takes to be a politician is tidily tucked away, just off to the side of the stage. That’s where this film takes place, at the side of the stage with the political consultants puppeteering the whole operation. Steven is one of Governor Morris’ consultants and he becomes caught up in the fast moving and unforgiving world of the ‘campaign’. Ryan Gosling’s Steven is smart and suave yet his unshakable faith in Morris reveals a hidden naivety to this character.  He is warned by a reporter that his boss Morris (Clooney) will ‘let him down eventually’ because he’s a politician and ‘they all do sooner or later’. 

There’s some first rate acting from Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti as they become embroiled in an odd political triangle with Steven stuck in the middle. However it’s the influence of a seductive intern that acts as the trigger for the drama in the film. Her after hours shenanigans leads to all sorts of trouble. The result of this produces a hefty dichotomy for poor old Steven. Will faith alone get Morris to the White House?

If you’re into political thrillers and have enjoyed any of Borgen lately then this one is for you.