Rounding off this week’s London Film Festival is George Clooney’s political drama The Ides Of March. Casting himself as charismatic presidential candidate Governor Mike Morris, he positions himself left of the middle, both in his agenda and within the script. Instead, front and middle is ambitious young aide Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling), who finds himself in demand with the opposition, and central to a rather sticky situation that threatens to ruin not only his own career, but the lives of others.
Clooney is really earning his directing credentials now, adding The Ides Of March to an impressive CV that also boasts Goodnight, And Goodluck, and much has been made of this perfectly crafted screen adaptation of former Democrat campaign assistant Beau Willimon’s stage play Farragut North – being tipped for glory at next year’s Oscars. And with Margaret Thatcher biopic The Iron Lady coming up early next year, it seems that political drama is very much vying for our vote.
Next week: The Dialogue Festival runs from 2 to 5 November in venues around Notting Hill, west London, and features comedy and discussion from the likes of Josie Long, Robin Ince and Literary Death Match. Get your tickets here.
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