The Ides of March (R)
Mike:
Scott:
Mike: This week we are reviewing the “Ides of March”, a film about the behind the scenes world of a presidential candidate and his staff. What did you think?
Michael I: I'll watch anything that George Clooney is associated with, so I was fairly excited when I heard that he would be starring in two movies this fall (the other being “The Descendants”). "Ides of March" doesn't disappoint, though I was looking for something more profound.
Mike: I liked it too, but I wasn't blown away. I also like movies that Clooney either stars in or directed and in this case we get both.
Michael I: And Clooney continues to deliver clever films in either the political or social genre (though I loved his directorial debut "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind".)
Mike: This film is well directed, has an interesting script, but what it really has going for it is the cast.
Michael I: And everyone seemed to jump on board to work with Clooney ...
Mike: From the trailers you get the impression that Clooney is the lead, but Ryan Gosling is really the lead. Gosling is on a streak right now.
Michael I: Gosling has grown on me. I still haven't seen “The Notebook”, but after “Blue Valentine”, “Crazy Stupid Love”, and “Drive”, he's starting to grow on me -- except for his thick New Yawk accent, which brings him out of character for me.
Mike: I like him and “The Notebook” put him on the map. I have seen “The Notebook” several times and it is pretty dang good for essentially being a "chick flick" He's come a long way from the Mickey Mouse Club.
Michael I: Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Even Rachel Wood, Philip Seymour Hoffman and let us not forget Paul Giamatti – whew! -- round out the excellent cast.
Mike: It also looks like you were right, Leonardo diCaprio was originally cast in Gosling's Stephen Myers role, but stayed on as a producer.
This movie has the two guys that are my definition of Best Supporting actor when it comes to any film they are in: Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Michael I: Right on.
Mike: I love both those guys in a film, but to get them both in the same film is a double bonus.
Michael I: And we most recently watched Hoffman steal scenes in "Moneyball"
Mike: The list of good movies these guys play in is impressive. I wonder if the two of them have been together in a movie before? I can't think of one, but I'll have to research that.
Michael I: Doesn't look like it.
Mike: Well, I'm glad that someone corrected that mistake, then.
Michael I: Though Hoffman and Tomei were in "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead" together. And there's one particular scene that I kept thinking about when they were on screen together ... awkward!
Mike: I'll have to refresh my memory on that.
Michael I: But on to the plot! Clooney is Gov. Mike Morris on the campaign trail for the Democratic presidential nomination when one of his confidants (Gosling) finds a secret that he's not sure he can keep.
Mike: Almost as important is the behind the scenes strategy and dealmaking of a political campaign.
Michael I: And that's where the script gets clever. It's not the dirt that politics stirs up, but the innovative ways people can backstab each other.
Mike: This movie is based on a play called “Farragut North”, but I am glad that it doesn't come across as a filmed theater performance.
Michael I: Looked like that opening scene is probably straight from the play -- but I don't know that for sure.
Mike: Sometimes, even when you don't know that something is based on a play, you can feel that it might have been. The directing here seems to have escaped that. I can't say that I have heard of this director before, though. What is his name? Clooney?
Michael I: So Mike, what do you give "Ides of March"?
Mike: I give this 3.5 out of 5 stars. This movie is a little dark, since it is about politics after all. I was kind of hoping that it would grab me a little harder than it did.
How about you?
Michael I: I'm also giving this 3.5 out of 5. The acting's great, the story's solid, but it's missing something that I can't put my finger on. Maybe it's just poor timing with the political finger-pointing going on over the economy. But nonetheless, it's a good movie and political junkies should love it.
