Dirty tricks stand to soil an ambitious young press spokesman's idealism in a cutthroat presidential campaign where 'victory' is relative.
Ratings
Curator score: 4.6/10
IMDb: 7.1/10
Letterboxd: 3.38/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Metacritic: 67
TMDB: 6.7/10
Director
George Clooney
Production
Appian Way, Crystal City Entertainment, Cross Creek Pictures, Exclusive Media, Smokehouse Pictures
Cast
Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella, Jennifer Ehle, Gregory Itzin, Michael Mantell, Yuriy Sardarov, Bella Ivory, Maya Sayre, Danny Mooney, John Manfredi, Robert Mervak, Fabio Polanco, Frank Jones Jr., Peter Harpen
Curator Review
Verdict
A sharp, polished political drama with strong performances and a cynical edge. It’s not especially subtle, but it’s effective if you like campaign intrigue, moral compromise, and watching idealism get ground down by power.
Best for
political dramas
character-driven ensemble films
viewers who enjoy cynical behind-the-scenes stories
fans of performance-heavy adult dramas
Skip if
you want a fast-paced thriller
you prefer hopeful or inspirational politics
you dislike talky, procedural dramas
you need a deeply original or unpredictable plot
Overview
The Ides of March is less interested in the mechanics of an election than in the emotional cost of believing in one. It follows a young staffer whose confidence in the candidate and the system starts to crack as the campaign gets dirtier, and the movie works best as a study of compromise, ambition, and self-deception.
Worth noting
George Clooney directs with a clean, controlled style that keeps the pressure on even when the story feels familiar. The cast is the main attraction: Ryan Gosling gives the film its wounded center, while the supporting players bring real weight to the backroom maneuvering.
Bottom line
It can feel a little too tidy and a little too on-the-nose, especially if you’ve seen enough political dramas to know the beats. But as a polished, adult studio drama about how idealism gets negotiated away, it remains solid and watchable, with enough bite to linger after the credits.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Josh Lewis (3★) · 1285 likes
Imagine a Democratic candidate running on redistribution of wealth and anti-imperialism.
tildafan19 (3★) · 637 likes
ryan gosling can abandon me at an abortion clinic any day
Megan Bitchell (2★) · 618 likes
Suffers from the poster being too amazing
theo (3.5★) · 556 likes
the current political situation makes this look like a technicolor musical
Matt Singer (3.5★) · 410 likes
Clooney on what he'd say if he ran for office and why he never will. Likely the most autobiographical film he'll ever make.
2005 · Comedy, Drama · 1h 32m · R · Curator 6.4/10 (343.8K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A sharper, more satirical take on persuasion, messaging, and the art of defending the indefensible.
Topics
political drama, campaign intrigue, cynical tone, adult drama, moral ambiguity, ensemble cast, backroom power plays, disillusionment, 2010s cinema, prestige drama