Where "Good Night, and Good Luck." spoke through a resonating Edward R. Murrow on relevant matters of information media, "The Ides of March" looks to expose with drama the inner workings and unreported scandal of political campaigns just in time to enter our minds for the upcoming 2012 United States presidential race. From luxurious hotel rooms with spreads of complimentary refreshments all paid with campaign donations accessible platform concepts are reworked along with more than a helping of backstabbing that never gets old. Our lead character, a straight-laced prodigy who lives work, all but literally disappearing in to campaigns, becomes a victim of circumstance prescribed a bitter dose of his own medicine and must weigh his options between the converse items you might see glamorized on a television spot - loyalty and betrayal. Our focal candidate is a cathartically candid pipe dream modeled after what one might imagine the idealized version of Obama to be - favoring gay rights, against the death penalty, etcetera. You know, the kind of impossible candidate that just seems to "make sense". The sort Tea Party members will flee auditoriums in disgusted revolt over. This is the perfect candidate to contrast with the depictedly grueling and ruthless business of winning office. This is Clooney doing Lumet, and while familiar it works like a charm. Indubitably, on the merits of Clooney’s assured hand and Gosling’s veritable talent, “Ides” is one of the year’s best.
