The Ides of March Review

I hate politics. So who'd have thought I would find myself engrossed in a film like The Ides of March, a story about a battle for the Democratic Primary? It takes a little while to get past all the rhetoric some characters spew at you, but this film is more about the sleazy, underhanded dealings that take place in our political system.

One thing I didn't know is that George Clooney directed and co-wrote this film. And he did a pretty slick job, too. A lot of the time, the composition of his frame is rather tight. Some scenes are shot entirely in close up. It crafts an intimate feeling and sets it against the backdrop of sleaze-ball politics. The final shot of the film is beautifully simplistic.

The acting is top notch across the board, which isn't too surprising considering the stellar cast. Leads include Clooney, Ryan Gosling and Philip Seymour Hoffman, and even has the likes of Paul Giamatti and Marisa Tomei in the supporting cast. Yeah, stellar.

The movie is NOT about political ideologies. It offers no forward-thinking answers to our countries current troubles, nor does it endorse one ideology over another. It paints an intimate portrait of the underhanded dealings in politics, regardless of ideology and party. In fact, it was probably a smart move on left-leaning Hollywood's part to center the story on Democrats, as using Republicans might have looked vindictive.

This was a good movie, with a compelling story and great performances. Go see it if you're looking for a character driven narrative or are interested in the behind-the-scenes world of politics. Skip it if you're looking for the answer to our current political woes, because you won't find it here.