Ides of March

The release of this film in an election year provokes thought about our election system--the finances, the deals, the behind the scenes negotiations that candidates can be involved in along the way to winning an election. Stephen Meters (Ryan Gosling) is an idealistic  campaign worker for presidential candidate Gov. Morris (played by George Clooney)--a man with values and goals that Meter can believe in. As the campaign for the primary in Ohio goes on, deals are made and scandal is uncovered, leaving Meter disillusioned and cynical. Not an action movie, this drama concentrates on the flawed mechanisms of our political system, with excellent performances by Gosling and Clooney (who also directed the film) as well as Philp Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti. The Ides of March is a film about politics but also about the people involved and how they are changed by the process of campaigning for election. The film has been nominated for an Academy Award for the Screenplay and was nominated for several Golden Globe Awards--Lead Actor for Ryan Gosling, Best Director for George Clooney and for Best Dramatic Film.