The Ides of March (George Clooney, 2011)

A film so embedded in politics that one would think it was a political film. Even with its stars and the fact that it is directed by one of the major figures in Hollywood, I still thought it would attempt to explore some of the darker sides of the political sphere; especially considering Clooney's 'political activism' (which recently landed him in jail). Somehow, though, the film completely eludes any sort of political statement becoming a melodrama centered around an affair (a melodrama about an affair? that sounds original!). Not only does the film fail to achieve any sort of political resonance but it also employs terrible pace (no one I watched it with was "entertained" by any means) and directing that seems straight out of a Directing 101 book. The only scene that seems to have any sort of distinct directorial style is the crucial scene when Gosling's character meets with Hoffman's character to discuss some key events that will guide much of the film's plot. Transformed into silhouettes unto an American flag, the scene works as a visual metaphor where these black, mysterious, soulless creatures are the ones running America.