The Ides of March

The Ides of March might carry with it an all-star cast, but it is the work of actor, writer and director George Clooney that constitutes the real success of the cinema adaptation of critically acclaimed play Farragut North. Clooney’s technical work, as well as his writing and directing, transform the drama in fantastic fashion into a balanced and enthralling political film.

In framing the film, Clooney pits two Democrats against one another in a race for the Ohio primary. This choice is a practical one: by abandoning the more conventional framework of a race between Republicans and Democrats, the film avoids polarizing its viewers based solely on their political leanings, allowing it instead to focus on a sense of integrity and dignity in politics. Clooney spends less time on the candidates themselves than he does on a naïve but intelligent assistant campaign manager Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). Meyers’ lack of experience in high-stakes campaigns results in the struggle at the heart of the film: to remain loyal to his beliefs while resisting cutthroat political tactics and the corruptive calls of power and ambition.

Clooney manages to keep the audience engaged with quick and clever dialogue: accessible political wit ensures that it never becomes too heavy, yet doesn’t detract from the tense and somewhat volatile atmosphere portrayed in the film either. Similarly, the director gives appropriate weight and screen time to each event or character. He quickly identifies Gosling as the centerpiece of the film, taking care that more experienced actors like Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Clooney himself do not upstage the protagonist. The former are phenomenal, mirroring and foiling Gosling throughout the film and representing two possible ethical paths in front of him. Gosling, for his part, holds his ground among these veteran actors. His dialogue and facial expressions flawlessly and naturally convey a spectrum of emotions ranging from naïve fervor to impulsive resentment.

The value of loyalty, the corruption of empowerment and the seemingly intrinsic hypocrisy of politics may all seem like trite motifs. But Clooney’s film is an impressive addition, offering a new poignancy to the established canon. The Ides of March may not reach novel conclusions about politics, but its shrewd writing, directing and acting make it stand out among other contemporary political dramas.