The Ides of March

With political dramas, it’s frequently intriguing to note how the time in which they were made compares to the political culture of that particular era.

While The Ides of March captures the widespread cynicism that exists in general toward politicians these days, the latest directorial effort from actor George Clooney likely won’t surprise moviegoers with its depiction of behind-the-scenes corruption on the presidential campaign trail.

The fictional setting is the lead up to the Ohio Democratic primary, where Pennsylvania Gov. Mike Morris (Clooney) is locked in a tight battle in a key battleground state to secure the nomination. Morris seems to be more popular with voters, but is less politically savvy than his opponent.

In the middle of the campaign madness is Stephen (Ryan Gosling), an idealistic assistant to Morris’ ruthless campaign manager (Philip Seymour Hoffman) who learns some harsh lessons about the process through dealings with a veteran reporter (Marisa Tomei), a flirty intern (Evan Rachel Wood) and the rival campaign manager (Paul Giamatti) that wind up putting both his career aspirations and the Morris campaign in jeopardy.

The film conveys the selfishness of the key players in just about any political machine, in which an honest attempt to follow through on campaign promises isn’t even in the thought process, especially when damage control needs to be done.

Instead, as the film proceeds, the Morris campaign rarely even pauses to consider what the issues are, let alone how to tackle them. The strategy is to suffocate the voters with empty rhetoric, then try to manipulate delegates through backdoor negotiations in an effort to secure a sense of loyalty that won’t be reciprocated.

But The Ides of March ultimately isn’t about the game as much as its players.

Clooney’s direction is polished, and he secures a top-notch cast that excels from top to bottom. Hoffman and Giamatti make first-rate adversaries, and Gosling captures Stephen’s evolution from naïve newcomer to power-hungry schemer. Clooney plays more of a key supporting role than the lead.

The script, adapted by Clooney and frequent collaborator Grant Heslov from a stage play by Beau Willimon, features twists that range from clever to arbitrary, and it never takes more than a half-hearted stance or identifies itself with any current politicos.

Without an edgier approach, the film’s incisive analysis of contemporary politics can’t match the emotion of its characters.

Rated R, 101 minutes.