In Theatres Everywhere on October 7th
The last film George Clooney directed, the romantic comedy “Leatherheads,” bombed at the box office and was panned by critics, who collectively decided that it just wasn’t funny.
Now, Clooney’s back behind the camera, and there’s nothing funny about it.
“The Ides of March,” Clooney’s new movie, stars Ryan Gosling as Stephen Meyers, an idealistic young media strategist working for Gov. Michael Morris (Clooney), a rising Democratic star vying for his party’s nomination in a fictional presidential election. When Meyers discovers that Morris is hiding a secret that could destroy his reputation, he’s forced to decide what he values most: his morals or his ambition.
The film’s title is derived from which is the 15th of March in the Roman calendar. The date is significant because Julius Caesar was murdered in 44 B.C. He was stabbed to death in the Roman Senate by a group of conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus and Gaius Cassius Longinus. Perhaps a theme of the film is betrayal, since Caesar’s followers betrayed him in the end.
The film is backed with a tremendous supporting cast including Paul Giamatti as a rival campaign manager, Evan Rachel Wood as an intern on the campaign and Marisa Tomei as a newspaper reporter.
Although the five main actors have countless Academy Award nominations, the real reason to go see this film is to understand the hectic, intense campaign backdrop. With the 2012 presidential election right around the corner and all over the news, “The Ides of March” could not have come at a better time.
Much like 2009’s “State of Play” or “Rendition,” the film explores the lengths that politicians and government officials go to in order to cover up scandals and secrets. Politicians are scrutinized by the media in such a blinding light; there is no room for error. If they falter, their reputation suffers. Politicians are very similar to celebrities in that respect; privacy is hard to come by.
However, politicians who are running for office have to be even more careful. Their positions are not guaranteed, so they need to make the perfect move at all times. “The Ides of March” examines how even a perfect candidate can mess up, and how it affects all parties involved. So many people work on these campaigns that one mistake could affect hundreds.
With such high stakes, Clooney and company are sure to produce an epic thriller, perfect for this time of year. It promises to be a great film, and with great reviews like this one from Entertainment Weekly, it seems to be a critical favorite.
The film is up against Hugh Jackman’s robotic action-adventure, “Real Steel,” for the box-office crown this weekend. What’s more powerful: politicians or robots? We’ll find out.
