Stylish, Yes, But Old

A juicy political thriller is always welcome, like “The Candidate,” “Wag the Dog,” “All The President’s Men,” “The War Room.” These films give us a peek into those smoke-filled rooms and can inspire outrage, idealism and even calls to action. “The Ides of March” has almost all the ingredients to satisfy this appetite as another political season heats up. It’s entertaining, engrossing and only disappointing when you realize that it has absolutely nothing new to say. George Clooney plays ultra-liberal Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris, as George Clooney: warm, understated, plain spoken, with the perfect answer to every question that was muffed over the last 20-plus years of elections. He’s the anti-Mondale/Dukakis/Kerry of every Democrat’s dreams. (He aces the “if you’re anti-death penalty, what if your wife was murdered” question that Dukakis so famously crashed and burned on.) He’s so pure and idealistic he won’t play politics: he refuses to trade a cabinet post for electoral votes. Still, down in the muck of the real world, the men who run the campaigns are counting votes, reading polls, monitoring blogs and trolling for dirt and scandals. Somehow, media consultant Stephen Myers, played by Ryan Gosling, has risen to the top of the heap without losing his idealism. He’s a true believer and wants Morris to change the world. “The Ides of March,” which takes place over the week leading up to a critical Ohio primary, is the surprisingly un-surprising story of how quickly purity and idealism can get derailed and cynicism can triumph. Myers sleeps with a pretty young intern on the campaign (Evan Rachel Wood), is courted by a campaign manager (Paul Giamatti) for the rival candidate and is accused of disloyalty by his own boss (Philip Seymour Hoffman) — all while dodging the pesky questions of an intrepid New York Times reporter (Marisa Tomei.) Jeffrey Wright plays Senator Thompson, a failed candidate out to get the best deal for himself he can. Yes, that is a cracking good cast. And they are all terrific, snapping off the mostly smart and funny dialogue, filling the frame with moody closeups of their weathered and interesting faces. And there are enough twists and about-faces to keep you guessing for a while. But the moral dilemmas, political checkmates and commentary on the weaknesses of powerful men all have a been-there, done- that quality. So the quandary at the heart of the film leaves a “that’s it?” at the end. Some wonderful cameos back up the A-list cast, particularly Jennifer Ehle as Morris’s wife. She has just one speaking scene with Clooney but brings her usual luminous gravity, making you believe in the intimacy and affection Continued from page 8between these two polished public figures. It’s really Gosling who carries the film and he just gets better and better with every movie he’s in. His handsomeness and charm look a little roughed up, like he’s taken a few punches, and he takes a character who really doesn’t make much sense and renders him believable. It’s a stylish film, well done in every respect, but in the end it feels static, too close to the stage play it’s based on. Go for Clooney (if you’re over 40) or for Gosling (if you’re under 30); go for Wood (if you’re male), who makes the best of a very hackneyed role. The flirtation between the two of them is beautifully done. But don’t go expecting to learn anything new about politics or politicians. Alas, we’ve seen it all before, too many times, and I’m sure we’ll be seeing it again in the next 13 months, played by less winsome and well-spoken actors, perhaps, and the only question will be who falls first. “The Ides of March” is rated R for language. It is playing widely.