vinyarb

Politics is dirty business, and you have no idea how dirty it is until shit hits the fan, and the plotting begins. Its the coming-of-age story of a young and upcoming junior campaign manager Stephen Meyers played by Ryan Gosling, who is trying to help governor Mike Morris (George Clooney, who also directs) clinch the presidential nomination for the democrats.

Young, idealistic and optimistic, Meyers journeys into the convoluted path of politics armed with nothing but his smarts and chiselled good looks. However, nothing worth fighting for is ever smooth sailing.

Events and dramatic turns involving an intern crops up, and Meyers must struggle to contain himself, as he discovers the treachery, backstabbing and double-dealing that routinely happens in politics.

And although, at the end of the day, Meyers comes out of it relatively unscathed, he seems to ask himself

“at what price?”

A small but entertaining thriller.

This is George Clooney’s fourth directorial effort, but the first one i’ve seen, and i’m pretty impressed. I’d compare him to Ben Affleck, another actor turned director who seems comfortable sitting on the director’s chair.

The Ides of March also stars Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood.

Rating: 7/10