It actually took me by surprise to see George Clooney’s name appended as director of The Ides of March [2011] when the last scene — of Ryan Gosling’s sadly jaded face — faded away to the credits. Because this was a craftsman’s movie, and I never knew George had it in him. Granted, his past directorial forays have been well-received, and Good Night and Good Luck [2005] should have informed me better. But still it was a surprise, and a good one. Because the film is an entertaining yarn about American politics, focusing for the most part on its loftier themes: idealism, betrayal, honor, cynicism, loyalty, all wrapped up in a morality tale that takes parts of All About Eve and melds them into a mild Shakepearean tragedy. Gosling plays an idealistic and charming deputy campaign manager to Clooney’s presidential hopeful, and one day he makes the mistake of taking a call from the campaign manager from the rival camp. Putting it simplistically that way will allow you wiggle room to enjoy more the complexities of the plot, helped for the most part by Gosling’s utter devotion to the role. His dramatic arc and metamorphosis is extraordinary. This is not a great political film, but it is a shrewd one, and takes into account the minutiae of compromises political people take in pursuit of a campaign’s good results. There are no bad and good people in politics, it tells us, only cut-throat survival instincts paved with so much good intentions. And you know what they say about paths paved with good intentions…