MOVIE REVIEW - The Ides Of March

The new political drama, The Ides Of March, strolls into the theaters this week full of stars and promise.

George Clooney written, and produced movie where he plays a presidential candidate in the latter stages of the Democratic primaries. He is Governor Morris from Pennsylvania, and is running against only one Democratic challenger left as this story takes place during the weeks of the Ohio primary. This is a key state as to who will win the Democratic nomination for President.

He has one of the best young media minds in the country working for him Stephen (Ryan Gosling). And one of the greatest political minds Paul (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) leading his campaign. Morris is perceived as "the real deal" by his staff who are working hard for his election. But there are a few very bad skeletons in his closet, and the passionate campaign leaders have to decide if they are willing to go to the mat with Morris knowing what they do.

Then the rival campaign chimes in lead by Tom (Paul Giamatti) trying to use politics to muddy the waters, and screw up the entire election. This is a complex drama that really shows the dirty side of politics. At least as much as Clooney knows how to show through his writing. There are many twist and turns. But one thing about this movie, I think it thinks it's really smarter than it is. Some of these plot twists are supposed to really make you go "WOW" when in fact most viewers are ahead of this movie.

But that's not a deal breaker here. This is a pretty good movie, that has a very nice cast and it's fun to see a few generations of good people make a good movie. Gosling is the star of this movie categorically. Hoffman is again great, as is Giamatti. Clooney, although central, does not have a huge screen time presence in this flick. Good lesson maybe learned. Maybe make a movie, and not a "George Clooney" movie. Great small performances too from Evan Rachel Wood, and Marisa Tomei give this movie a real nice ensemble.

The Ides Of March doesn't make some of the same mistakes that some other Clooney movies have. It's not too long. It has a story that stays on course and focus, and it doesn't have that "elite" stench that some others have had. One of the things haunting Clooney flicks is that they can bear the preception they think that they are saying something that no one has ever thought of before. And that can be insulting to some. Many times it seems they are making the movie for their own entertainment and not ours.

This is much shorter than the never ending Micheal Clayton, much better than the putrid The American. Where 2009's gem Up In The Air was relevant, so is this one. There is a reason to tell this story now. On target, and overall pretty entertaining.

The Ides Of March. Great cast, but only a good movie.