Film Review: The Ides Of March

It seems somewhat felicitous that there be a film about the race to find America's next presidential candidate, although following the current Republican primaries one might certainly be able to mash all the footage into a political drama. Scratch that, satire. But what if Hollywood could elect the next Commander and Chief? No doubt the forerunner would be that genial, pulchritudinous man named George Clooney. If Mr. Obama were found to be slacking in his presidential duties, then perhaps the director, co-writter, star and appointed liberal ambassador for Hollywood might make a fitting replacement.

Stephen Myers (Gosling) is a campaign manager with ethical boundaries. A man who believes that the system will ultimately allow only those with the most sincerest convictions to become President of the United States. As such he carries out his work on behalf Governor Mike Morris (Clooney), a charismatic Democrat vying for the White House, with utmost conviction. But when revelations involving campaign volunteer Molly (Wood) surface, coupled with the increasing skullduggery of rival campaign manager Tom Duffy (Giamatti), Myers is soon embroiled in a political dilemma which will test his moral fibre.

The Ides Of March of course refers to that famed Shakespearean play where Julius Caesar's imperial ambitions were succinctly snuffed out by a gaggle of conspirators, and it is a familiar story here. First, this is a reasonably sophisticated, solicitous, well-crafted political thriller with a cast of heavy-hitters which impressively pull everything together. Yet while the political intrigue created throughout the film is certainly clever, like any political drama it features the predictable tropes we have come to expect of the genre. That is to say ambitious with allusions of intellectual grandeur, yet ironically broadly similar in its themes of political backstabbing and shady characters.

Speaking of characters, Gosling's Myers is a strange one - kind of like an enigmatic plankton inhabiting a world of political sharks. While portrayed as a sagacious spin-doctor who knows the tricks of the trade and how to work the media, he still remains curiously naive to the dirty realities he faces everyday. What's even more incredulous is how it takes a typical human flaw in Morris' character to set off an over-the-top chain reaction involving feelings of personal betrayal. Most flabbergasting of all the revelations to Myers however is that, shock horror, politics is not all unicorns and rainbows. Given all the perfidious political manoeuvres witnessed up until this point, you begin to wonder how this supposedly politically savvy wonder kid has made it this far and indeed, if he's even mentally stable.

In essence The Ides Of March is a Faustian tale in the same ilk as The Ghost Writer, Wag The Dog or In The Loop. While a popular concept these days given people's disillusion with politics, this is still very much a well executed film. It is a smart (enough), slick, efficacious effort with some fine acting which makes this more than worth watching. However, while the cast is excellent, the substance is as deceitful as an MP's expenses claim. Just don't be surprised that despite the glitz and soundbites, it doesn't make good on all its election promises.

Film Review: Drive

By day he is a Hollywood stuntman, by night a getaway driver cruising the streets of LA for realz. Our stoic hero, a monosyllabic loner with nerves of tempered steel remains nameless apart from his function. He drives. That's all he does. But he's the best. When our 'Driver' (Gosling) falls for winsomely appealing Irene (Mulligan), her husband's involvement with vicious gangsters prompts him to become errantly involved in an increasingly dangerous mob conflict.

The plot is about as conventional as you can get, but that's not why Drive is great. It's stylish visuals and retro-80s feel coupled with a fantastic script and performances are what makes this a winner. What's more amazing about Drive though is how precariously it sits on the edge of failure. Had it been any director other than Nicolas Winding Refn then this could so easily have fallen flat on its otherwise engaging exploitation of garish tropes. Gosling, who also produced the film, made a sound decision in bringing the Danish director on board which was clearly exemplified by his Best Director Award at Cannes this year. Certainly, this is one of those few films where style triumphs over substance, no more immediately evident than in its opening scene. 'Driver' performs a seemingly impossible getaway for a couple of armed robbers, effortlessly evading police without so much as breaking a sweat. It is truly one of the most thrillingly intense scenes put to film this year and proves to be absolutely hypnotic. Cutting to opening credits we are engulfed by Drive's second greatest asset, an invigorating 80s synth tribute which plays us in as pulsating pink neon font resembling that in 80s classic, Cocktail, overlay incredible panoramic shots of LA. Drive is certainly one stylish film.

It is Gosling however who proves to be the star attraction, whose role could easily have been filled by any one of the generic macho brutes Hollywood has to offer. But this would have been the wrong option, a choice which almost certainly would have plunged Drive into inanity. Fortunately Gosling is perfectly cast, his Ohio-farm boy good looks serving to accentuate the tension of what's going on underneath the surface. Wary and softly spoken, Gosling remains an enigma throughout the film which works in tandem with his almost vacant expression as his awkward, superficial attempts to interact with people scream a sense of alienation. There's also a very noble quality to 'Driver', as well as a romantic side. When he meets neighbour Irene the two begin hanging out, her son immediately warming to him as he takes them on a day trip to a river bank while the soundtrack informs us that "he's a hero, a real human being". Despite 'Driver' barely able to string two words together, Irene develops a crush and the two begin exchanging the most tender of looks and half-smiles. Even when Irene's husband is released from prison our 'Driver' doesn't just accept him but becomes his protector too, getting involved in a gang-dispute which has nothing to do with him.

And yet, this seemingly gentle man is anything but as he shifts from being very calm, quiet and deliberate in his actions to moments of explosive violence in a play between indolence and swiftness. Revealed to be harbouring a savage passenger, Dexter fans will no doubt love this. Here we have a man seemingly determined to protect the innocent while struggling against an appetite for salacious violence. The most stark juxtaposition between the 'Driver's' two sides comes when he passionately kisses Irene in a lift before immediately descending into a brutal attack on an assassin while she looks on in abject horror. Indeed, Drive's graphic violence has proved to be a talking point among critics, described as "shocking" and "grotesque" by many. Admittedly it's not as frequent as some analysis might have you believe, but what is shown is particularly pitiless. From fisticuffs to razor blades and hammers, Drive will undoubtedly make you wince. However, if we analyse Drive's most gruesome portrayal of brutality, a scene where 'Driver' mercilessly stomps on a villain's head, what we really see is more imagined through the conveyance of sound rather than any particular imagery. Yes, Drive is bloody, but then it doesn't really show anything you probably haven't seen before.

The supporting cast are also excellent, although perhaps a slight disappointment is how understated Carey Mulligan is. However, what she does do is more than convincing and with an added charm which makes her annoyingly likeable. The brilliant Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad is Shannon, acting as something of father figure to 'Driver'. While there is no doubt that he genuinely seems to care for the kid, the down on his luck mentor is also keen to exploit him by getting him to race. However he first needs money to build a car, in which he turns to two gangsters for funds. Albert Brooks plays Bernie Rose, a former movie director and seemingly genial, reasonable man before his sadist traits are inevitably revealed. His partner, the more uncouth and belligerent Nino (Perlman) is equally frightening in his unpredictable eruptions of violence.

Drive is a neo-noir movie romanticised with a prodigiously well-realised 80s pastiche. Its main appeal comes from its uncanny ability to capture that 80s cocaine zest and dauntlessly transplant it into the current day. Likewise Gosling's performance is mesmerising, no mean feat given that any other actor would probably have tipped Drive into the realms of absurdity. This is myth creation at its finest. When we arrive at our destination we have more questions than answers. Who is he? Where did he come from? Why is he like that? What was the moral of it all? And regardless of this burning desire for answers, you will just be glad you went along for the ride.