SPOTLIGHTS
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| The Ides of March Mini-Review |
| Posted by Chad Webb on 10.19.2011 |
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With a cast as powerful as in The Ides of March, it seemed like a no lose situation. Ryan Gosling as your lead, followed by George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood. The disappointing reality is that this is a passable film that should have been great. The problem is not the direction. Clooney shoots this political thriller with a steady hand, evoking a All the President’s Men vibe. The primary flaw is the screenplay, which was adapted from Beau Wilmington’s play Farragut North. Having not seen that show, I have no clue how the translation holds up. But I can say that The Ides of March story stumbles when the focus relies on the romance between Wood and Gosling. They are both talented, but when you throw viewers into a pit of intriguing political turmoil, we could care less about the flirting of co-workers.
That sub-plot soaks up too much of the already short running time, but then there’s the twist to consider. I won’t spoil it here, but the trailer certainly lets you know one is coming. It’s safe to say that this development is supremely disappointing. Clooney, along with screenwriters Grant Heslov and Beau Wilmington, resort to soap opera shenanigans and mediocre melodrama when a line-up of this caliber deserves so much more. The dialogue is not snappy enough and the pace is not smooth or exciting. Once you know the surprise, the rest of the story is easily predictable. Gosling is a superb actor, but since he is the focus, his trouble with wading through the shoddy script is evident as the action progresses. Giamatti and Hoffman shine above the rest, and if any nominations arise from this, it will be to them. Clooney is solid as the candidate that genuinely wants to make a difference, and Wood is fine as “the intern,” but her character is plagued with the worst aspects of this effort.
In the end, the brilliance of the actors carries The Ides of March to not being a failure. As I left the theater, my reaction was “That’s it?” This is certainly not a bad film from Clooney, but it does not reach its potential. Thinking of The Candidate, The Contender, and Bulworth, The Ides of March is clearly not in that league, which is a shame, because I predicted this as Best Picture nominee darnit.
Final Rating = 6.5/10.0 |
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