George Clooney's "Ides of March' (2nd review)

The Ides of March has been described as a thriller. The thrills are not those of guns or foreign spies or passwords; the drama concerns the intimate actions and reactions of individuals making choices in their careers and their lives, in the high-stakes milieu of presidential politics.

Stephen (Ryan Gosling) is press secretary for the campaign of Mike Morris (George Clooney), the Pennsylvania governor who's trying to lock up the Democratic presidential nomination. Stephen's idealism— he truly believes in Morris's Obama-like message of change— is contrasted with the more jaded attitudes of his mentor, campaign manager Paul (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Paul's counterpart on the rival Pullman campaign, Tom (Paul Giamatti).

Stephen's belief in Morris isn't necessarily misplaced. Morris is a visionary advocate of change who's unwilling to endorse positions unless he really believes in them.

Public and private

At the same time, we see the machinations of the campaign, such as the courting of a powerful senator (Jeffrey Wright) who controls a bloc of delegates large enough to clinch the nomination. What deals is Morris willing to make? What other positions is he willing to stake out to win the very close Ohio primary? Which staffer advocates which choices?

We see Morris's charm and intelligence at full wattage in a "town hall" meeting, where he discusses same-sex marriage with a conservative young woman. While he engages with the young woman directly, listening to her and responding respectfully, Morris nevertheless remains completely aware of the larger TV audience—his real constituency, as he keenly understands. Meanwhile, literally behind the scenes, Stephen and Paul discuss a critical development in the campaign.

Mistakes and consequences

This shifting back and forth between surface and substance, public and private comprises the story's main dynamic. We see these themes acted out both in the campaign and in the actions of the campaign's participants. The stakes are high for everyone— if Morris wins the presidency, his core staff will head to the White House with him— and there's no room for error.

"You make a mistake and you're done," Stephen tells another character. We see how that character deals with the mistake in question; we also see what happens when Stephen is forced to confront a mistake of his own.

Anyone fascinated by national politics, regardless of affiliation, will be absorbed by the well-paced storytelling. Obviously, however, the story will resonate differently for Democrats and Republicans. As a lifelong Democrat, I experienced The Ides of March in the context of both the enormous hope many of us felt in 2008, and the adjustments we've all made in our expectations in the three years since. I'd be very curious to hear a Republican's response to this movie.♦


To read another review by Jake Blumgart, click here.
To read a response, click here.