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The Ides of March Review

Movies.com Critics

3.0

Dave White Profile

Getting down in the mud. Read full review

3.5

Grae Drake Profile

Clooney for Prez Read full review

Other Critics provided by Metacritic.com

Critics scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more favorable reviews.

  • 4.0
    67

    out of 100

    Metascore®
    Generally favorable reviews
    based on a weighted average of all
    critic review scores.

  • 50

    out of 100

    Wall Street Journal Joe Morgenstern

    That's one of the puzzles of this piece. You'd think a film with talent to burn - would provide some electrifying encounters at the very least. No such luck. Words fly, some of them medium-witty, but lightning doesn't strike.

    Read Full Review

  • 70

    out of 100

    The Hollywood Reporter

    Classy and professional throughout, the technical work gracefully holds all the threads together.

    Read Full Review

  • 75

    out of 100

    USA Today Claudia Puig

    Political scandals are standard movie fare, and this one, which hinges on sex and power, doesn't offer a new take. But that's the point: The all-too-familiar blend of hubris and lust for power makes the machinations no less poisonous and perhaps more regrettable for their sad predictability.

    Read Full Review

  • 91

    out of 100

    Entertainment Weekly Owen Gleiberman

    Clooney certainly brings out the best in his actors, but his driving trait as a filmmaker is that he knows what plays - he has an uncanny sense of how to uncork a scene and let it bubble and flow.

    Read Full Review

  • See all The Ides of March reviews at Metacritic.com

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For Families provided by Common Sense Media

OK for kids 16+

Smart, cynical thriller deals in political excesses.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this engrossing, well-acted thriller paints an ugly picture of the political landscape; prepare to be disenchanted (if you aren't already). Teens drawn to the movie by co-star Ryan Gosling's presence may find it very cynical, insidery, and heavy-handed, unless they're students of election cycles. Expect frequent swearing ("d--k," "f--k," and more), heated verbal exchanges, a suicide (not graphic), and sexual content (including some suggested steaminess and references to affairs and their aftermath).

  • Families can talk about how the movie portrays politics. Do you think it's accurate? Do you think there's room for idealism in the political world?
  • What role does the media have in the political process? How would you describe the relationship between media and politics?
  • Are political scandals all that surprising in this day and age? Why or why not? Do you think there are more scandals now than there used to be, or is it just a case of more media coverage/awareness?

The good stuff
  • message true-1

    Messages: The movie is a pretty jaded look at the political and electoral process. If there's any positive message, it's that if you sacrifice your principles, you lose a piece of yourself.

  • rolemodels true2

    Role models: One of the main characters is a politician who says what he thinks and does what he says. It's inspiring to hear him speak (even if he's just a movie character) because he's candid and devoted to the idea of social justice and service. His assistant also believes in him for this reason.

What to watch for
  • violence false2

    Violence: Verbal clashes are so stinging that they stun. A woman commits suicide.

  • sex false2

    Sex: Two colleagues sleep together; the audience sees close-up camera shots that hint at nudity, but no sensitive body parts are shown. Sexual banter. A liaison between a married man and a woman who works for him is discussed, and its unintended consequence has to be undone.

  • language false4

    Language: Frequent use of strong words such as "f--k," "d--k," "a--hole," "s--t," "prick," "c--k," "t-ts," "hell," "crap," "damn," "goddamn," and more.

  • consumerism false1

    Consumerism: Logos for Nokia and GMC are visible.

  • drugsalcoholtobacco false2

    Drinking, drugs and smoking: Social drinking by adults in bars; references to drugs, being drunk, and overdosing.

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© Common Sense Media Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.

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