Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Two for Ryan: My opinions on two films starring Ryan Gosling

     If you are a Ryan Gosling fan this is your year. During the past month or so, with the Royal Oak Over- 40 Movie Group I have had the pleasure of seeing two films starring Ryan Gosling; The Ides Of March, and Drive.

     George Clooney directs and acts in The Ides of March, but Ryan Goslin is in the starring role as a campaign press secretary to Clooney`s character running for president, and in the last days of an Ohio presidential primary that is over-come by a sex scandal that threatens Governor Mike Morris bid for presidency. Of course a sex scandal can derail someones chances for the White House, but is Governor Mike Morris the bad guy, or a victim of disloyalty?

     We are introduced to Gosling`s character (Stephen Meyers) at the beginning of this film as a campaign press secretary, and underling to Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Stephen Meyers is a young press secretary who is very smart, but alittle green to the nasty world of politics. As the film goes on he becomes introduced to Ida Horowicz (Marisa Tomei), and before long the two are rolling in the hay. During their fling Stephen discovers Ida`s relations with Governor Morris. As the film develops Governor Morris understandably denies knowing Ida after she commits suicide, but how righteous is Stephen? Paul Zara`s diatribe and firing of Stephen Meyers was a great narrative on Stephen Meyers lack of loyalty, and calls into question all the actions of Stephen Meyers.

     Clooney does a great job as director in blurring the lines between right and wrong. It would be simple to paint Governor Morris as a sex craze, power hungry villian, and Stephen Meyers as a victim of circumstance, but Clooney doesn`t do that; he shows us complex multi-dimentional characters who have purpose, and stand for what they believe. By the end of Ides of March Stephen Meyers goes for being the films protagonist to the antagonist.

     Although I would never invite Stephen Meyers to my home for dinner,  Ryan Gosling  was great in this film by creating a non-sympathetic character. I enjoyed this film because it was a story of honesty and ethics, and asks who are we to judge. Needless to say there was also great acting by Paul Giamatti as Tom Duffy.

     Does The Ides of March make my list of favorite films, I have to say yes. This film was well written and directed, and with a stellar cast it should be apart of your list.

     Drive on the other hand was entertainment, especially if you are a car buff. In Drive, Ryan Gosling plays - well I don`t know who he plays, but he is not a nice guy. Drive keeps the Gosling character a mystery, but we do know he is a part-time stunt car driver - "It`s only part-time" as he likes to say. When the Gosling character is not rolling-over Chevys, Dodges, and Fords, he is a full-time get-a-way driver for outlaws in L.A.

     This movie was fun, especially the car chases. One car chase scene was memorable to the classic car chase scene in Bullet. Great to see the fast cars, but this movie is NOT near making my list.    

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