The Ides of March

The cast alone makes this a must see, although I can't say the trailer made it overly compelling.

+1
Terrific cast.

Thanks lwright

Clooney doesn't really need to expose anything these days.
Probably worth a pass out of respect. Good Night was quite good on the second pass.

Saw this quote from another person so can't take credit for it but it was perfect.

I can't stand pretentious holly-wierd douche bags like Clooney. Why do they keep acting like they need to tell the rest of us how to act and how to live?

Clooney said in an interview he believes all Americans must put in 2 years of public service. You know this is America something called liberty exists, that means you nor the govt has a right to tell people how to live and what to do with our time.

So glad his movie flopped we don't need your leftist propaganda.

It’s called freedom of speech; look it up in The Constitution.


Very often when people resort to that type of name calling, they are leveling. Leveling, means people who feel inadequate will sometimes try to "level" those who have what they want. In this instance, they are jealous they don’t have the soapbox to stand on to express their opinions, so they resort to innuendos in order make themselves feel better because they feel so poorly about themselves.


I wanted to find the context of that quote, but I couldn’t find a link to that interview, anywhere. How about posting one. Thanks. BTW, if you can’t find one, isn’t posting something that isn’t factual a form of propaganda?


Liberty also means: freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction, hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking, speaking, etc., according to choice.

Seems to me Clooney is exercising his liberty when he speaks. You don’t have to like or agree with what he or anyone has to say, but he/they still has the freedom to say it.

^ ... +1

Absolutely.


Depends on your view. Believing that, then they aren’t the only ones who have an agenda when it comes to movie making. 25 years later, how ‘Top Gun’ made America love war http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...JgJ_story.html

I agree.

I agree Vince Vaughn and all these people should just STFU.

Maybe you need a smaller brush

Keep to the movie, please. Thanks.

larry

Well, I enjoyed Ryan Gosling's acting on this one; he is so young and very talented, regardless of the political motivation. Like him in Drive also.

The rest of the cast are also excellent, esp. Hoffman and Giamatti.

Just got around to seeing The Ides of March tonight. Loved it, loved it, loved it! The film is the smartest and most deeply cynical political drama, I have ever seen. I was afraid that it would turn into a Hollywood lefty paean or would end up copping out and give us a sappy happy ending. Not to worry, it did neither. Beware, though, those who have romantic notions about our political process should stay far far away.

As others have already noted, the film's ensemble cast was remarkable. For the first time, I saw why so many others have become fans of Ryan Gosling. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Marisa Tomei, as you might expect, were out of this world, too. Finally, the young and beautiful Evan Rachel Wood stole every scene she was in.

For those with a suitably cynical turn of mind about politics, I give The Ides of March highest recommendations. 9 Stars out of 10.

I can't believe you skipped Tomei.

Anyway, it's a refreshing change from so many brainless CGI saturated crap movies coming out these days.

Believe it or not, I realized that I had mistakenly overlooked Tomei after I posted earlier about the film's wonderful ensemble cast. I loved Tomei's role as a tough, cynical New York Times reporter. Her view of politicians and their apparatchiks is similar to my own.

After I posted here earlier, I went back and watched the film again, this time with the commentary of George Clooney and Grant Heslov, Clooney's screenwriter. The second viewing showed me that The ides of March is even more cynical than I had thought it was the first time through. What great stuff!

Yes, very cynical.

The Marisa Tomei I remembered was back in My Cousin Vinny, which was back in '92.

A classic comedy IMO.
Which reminds me...I think there is a BD out now.
Logging on to Amazon to order....

Ill have to give this a go.

My only caveat for you is to warn that the film involves a lot of arcane machinations, which require a fairly solid understanding of the US presidential electoral system. Worse, The Ides of March focuses on the Democratic primary elections, which makes it even more arcane because the states frequently change their laws concerning the way in which their electoral votes will be awarded. In short, despite how much I loved The Ides of March, it's probably going to have its greatest appeal to American politics junkies and may not travel well.

All of the foregoing being said, I am really looking forward to learning what you think of the film.

Thank gwsat. I think ill wait till it hits our shores over here and rent it first.

I thought this movie was an incredible bore.

To get the subject out of the way, it's not really a political movie. Sure, certain topics are raised, and there are a number of swipes against the other party, but the isn't any real or substantial exploration of political themes. They serve as window dressing and little else. Some may find that to be a good thing.

The story itself is paper-thin. The plot isn't overly-developed, the stakes never seem that great, and the machinations are simplistic. Events that are supposed to be surprising aren't.

There just isn't much to this movie. By the end of the film, one gets the feeling that it's just about to start.

One thing that did surprise me, and this has occurred in a couple of recent movies, is how small amounts of money are presented as having significant value.


As for the performances, Hoffman and Giamatti were both great Clooney's role was so small that it's hardly worth pointing out. Wood was OK. Gozzzzzling, err, Gosling was in over his head. He just didn't pull off the role, lacking depth, passion, and the critical insight that was key to the character. Tomei was quite solid, playing a role I hadn't seen her in before.

This could have been a good movie, but unless the viewer is naive enough to think that the art of politics doesn't involve any underhanded, coniving, or dishonest actions, there's nothing new, exciting, or interesting here.

Scott

i liked it a lot and thought it fairly accurately portrayed the cynisism so present in our national politics. very good but not great film. decent br transfer. i'd give it 7 out of 10

+1

Outstanding!

It reinforced the cynicism I've had for decades.

If people only knew what went on behind the scenes they wouldn't vote for anyone running for any political office.

I agree to some extent, this was well thought out film and focuses on the behind the scenes, but quiet frankly unless one lives under the rock should know by now, how political machines run, and the rather disgusting maneuvering, bribing, and deal making that's going on especially during elections.
There was one particular scene though which was an obvious jab at you know who[m], which just prove that Clooney and the likes just can't restrain themselves, but unlike Zoey I won't waste my time to get upset about it. The worst these people fear is being ignored, and that's exactly what they get from me.

The term "Hollywood Leftie" has become an oxymoron. That has never bothered me very much because, along with their earnest partisanship, Hollywood artistes are also charmingly naive. Give them credit, though, they know how to entertain us. This being so, I have learned to celebrate their strengths while ignoring their weaknesses. For example, it's pretty hard to take seriously the political opinions of a multimillionaire movie star who intentionally gets himself arrested as a protest to . . . what was it again Clooney was protesting? On the other hand, I think George Clooney has turned in some remarkable performances and his directorial work on both Good Night and Good Luck and The Ides of March was stellar.

I totally agree, I have no issues to see films from people I tend to disagree with on political issues, I can separate the message from the messenger. When I said I do ignore these people I meant off the screen.BTW I personally like Clooney as an actor/director quiet a bit too.

If there is anything I don't need is to have my cynicism regarding politics reinforced.
It's quite healthy, as it is.

I'm skipping this movie and giving my blood pressure a break.
However, I'll leave you with a joke I heard this morning:

"Everyone has heard Cheney got a heart transplant yesterday, but that's an impossibility....the hospital news release had it all wrong, he could only have had a heart implant."