REVIEW: Gosling and Clooney Bring Movie-Star Chops, and Movie-Star Stubble, to The Ides of March

George Clooney’s The Ides of March is an actors’ movie, a picture that gives performers some provocative things to do without necessarily providing a great story for them to hang onto. It’s also a movie made for grown-ups, and Lord knows there are few enough of those around today. But this story of an idealistic young press secretary who finds his principles eroded at the hands of a corrupt Democratic presidential candidate keeps getting in the way of its own chin-stroking: It’s carefully designed to make us think it’s making us think, but in the end, what’s it really telling us? That politics — and politicians — can be dishonest and ugly? Please don’t stop the presses for that one. But at least The Ides of March — which was written by Clooney, Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, adapted from Willimon’s play Farragut North — is neatly constructed, made with a respectful bow in the direction of classic Hollywood filmmaking. Clooney is sometimes a middling director (Leatherheads) and sometimes a terrific one (Good Night, and Good Luck), but at the least he’s motivated by a desire to tell stories in a straightforward way without excess clutter or showiness. He also knows that even pictures that feature a lot of guys talking (and The Ides of March is definitely one of those) don’t have to be visually dull: Cinematographer Phedon Papamichael sometimes lights and shoots the actors as if they were sitting for Hurrell portraits. At one point I found myself momentarily distracted by a small, artistically lit triangle of stubble below Ryan Gosling’s lip, but my God, what stubble! There’s a time and a place for movie-star whiskers, and this is one of them. Gosling plays Stephen Myers, a canny young go-getter whose eyes glow like greenish-brown coals as he explains what he loves about the candidate he’s working for, Clooney’s Governor Mike Morris. Morris is one of those understated but charismatic figures who can make a rousing speech in a way that makes him sound both progressive and nonthreatening — he’s slippery that way (and, it turns out, in other ways too), but his principles do seem believable and sound. Stephen and Morris’ campaign manager, Paul Zara (Philip Seymour Hoffman, playing the kind of guy who balances shrewd efficiency with the appearance that he just rolled out of bed), are trying to steer their boss through a tricky Ohio primary. Meanwhile, a rival campaign manager, Tom Duffy (Paul Giamatti), steps in to stir up trouble — with his darting eyes and lizardy smile, he’s a Beltway Beelzebub. And a NY Times reporter — played with hungry-mutt persistence by Marisa Tomei — pumps everyone relentlessly for information they don’t want, or are unable, to give. Stephen works hard, but he plays hard, too, and Lord knows there are plenty of adorable young interns around to help out with that. One of the sauciest, Molly (Evan Rachel Wood, who does a fine job balancing brittleness and vulnerability), flirts with him brazenly, and he can’t resist the bait. They end up sleeping together, and though Stephen hopes to keep things casual, he finds himself drawn in by the desperate secret she’s been keeping. As a director, Clooney orchestrates the action nimbly and with a degree of caginess — he seems to enjoy the process of letting the cat out of the bag only bit by bit. And as an actor, he’s admirably low-key here: He’s a muted presence, ceding everything to Gosling. In return, Gosling doesn’t take the proverbial money and run; he just sort of saunters out the door with it. This is a restrained, simmering performance: When Stephen starts flirting with Molly, he’s so suave he almost makes you forget he’s using every trick in the book — with his slightly downcast eyes and inquisitive smile, he’s like the idea of flirting, personified. The routine is charming as hell, until later in the movie, when Gosling lets us see that Stephen’s ability to get what he wants is hardwired into him — his aggressive ambition is the fraternal twin of his idealism, and it’s far less cuddly. Gosling’s performance is a whispered echo of everything that The Ides of March otherwise spells out. The chief idea here seems to be that even the most promising candidate can disappoint you. That might be a not-so-veiled criticism of our own beleaguered commander-in-chief, but I suspect Clooney intends it as more a rueful observation of the reality of human behavior. The Ides of March doesn’t cut as deeply or as sharply as Clooney might like, but at least he found the right actor to navigate its dark emotional twists and turns. Gosling’s Stephen, whether he’s operating out of deep-rooted integrity or ruthless self-interest, doesn’t seem to know what he’s capable of until he goes and does it. Maybe that’s how most people find their way into politics in the first place.

'Arrested Development' Bidding War Breaks Out Between Hulu, Netflix (Report)

NEW YORK - Challenging Netflix, online video service Hulu has joined the bidding war over exclusive rights to new episodes of Arrested Development, Vulture reported. our editor recommends'Arrested Development' Actor Exits Broadway's 'La Cage aux Folles''Arrested Development' Stars Confirm Plans for Show's TV Return Creator Mitch Hurwitz had said a few days ago that he and producer Ron Howard were eyeing a limited-run series to set up a long-awaited Arrested Development movie. PHOTOS: Best and Worst TV Dads: 'Modern Family,' 'Shameless,' 'The Simpsons' Stars Will Arnett and Jason Bateman later confirmed on Twitter that a plan for several episodes and the movie were in place. STORY: 'Arrested Development:' 5 Things to Know About the Series' Potential Return Showtime and online streaming firm Netflix were originally mentioned as distributors interested in the limited run, but Vulture said that Hulu has since contacted the Arrested Development team. PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Will 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Whitney' or 'How to Be a Gentleman' Be Axed First? The interest from various parties makes it more likely that the Bluth family will indeed return to a screen - whether TV or computer, Vulture said. It didn't discuss how much each side may be willing to offer for the show. Hulu has racked up 100 million streaming impressions from Arrested Development clips, episodes and outtakes since its launch in 2008, Vulture cited sources as saying. A Hulu spokeswoman declined to comment for the story. PHOTOS: Fall TV's 12 Most Anticipated Shows Arrested Development, produced by 20h Century Fox, had ratings that led to its cancellation, but passionate viewers and critics have long hoped for a return of the show. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics News Corp. Netflix Hulu

Watch Transformers 3 Megavideo

YouTube Gets near Original Content Deals

YouTube Gets near Original Content Deals By Georg Szalai October 4, 2011 Photo by Getty Images Tony Hawk NEW You are able to - YouTube is putting the finishing touches on handles programming partners which are made to bring professional content towards the Google-possessed online video site in funnel form, the "Wall Street Journal" reported.One of the content partners which have signed or are required to sign with YouTube are skate boarder Tony Hawk, media companies, for example Warner Bros. and News Corp.'s ShineReveille unit, RTL Group's FremantleMedia, which produces "The X Factor," BermanBraun, which has created shows for SyFy along with other cable channels, and IAC's Electus, run by Ben Silverman, based on the "Journal."To supplement potential partners, it pointed out CSI creator Anthony Zuiker, Everyday Health, which produces quite happy with celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels yet others, Legendary Entertainment, founded by former Sundance Funnel mind Ray Aidem and former VH1 executive Michael Hirschorn, DECA, making movie content for ladies, and?a sports content venture released by National basketball association player Baron Davis and funds Warren. The "Journal," a part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., added that it could also produce news content for any YouTube funnel.Using its content deals, YouTube is searching to become next-generation content provider having a slew of online "channels" showing professional programming. The approach is comparable to the way cable operators offer channels, but YouTube is not charging customers monthly customer costs.??The website is investing a lot more than $100 million in payday loans for that content production and it is searching for advertising revenue in exchange, the "Journal" stated. It will later split that ad revenue with content partners. The professional content channels are required to unveil next year.A YouTube spokesperson told the "Journal": "We do not discuss rumor or speculation, but we are always speaking to content designers and curators of all types about building audiences online.Inch The Hollywood Reporter YouTube Gets near Original Content Deals By Georg Szalai October 4, 2011 Tony Hawk PHOTO CREDIT Getty Images NEW You are able to - YouTube is putting the finishing touches on handles programming partners that can bring professional content towards the Google-possessed movie site in funnel form, the "Wall Street Journal" reported.One of the content partners which have signed or are required to sign with YouTube are skate boarder Tony Hawk, media companies, for example Warner Bros. and News Corp.'s ShineReveille unit, RTL Group's FremantleMedia, which produces "The X Factor," BermanBraun, that has created shows for SyFy along with other cable channels, and IAC's Electus, run by Ben Silverman, based on the "Journal."To supplement potential partners, it pointed out CSI creator Anthony Zuiker, Everyday Health, which produces quite happy with celebrity trainer Jillian Michaels yet others, Legendary Entertainment, founded by former Sundance Funnel mind Ray Aidem and former VH1 executive Michael Hirschorn, DECA, making movie content for ladies, and?a sports content venture released by National basketball association player Baron Davis and funds Warren. The "Journal," a part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp., added that it could also produce news content for any YouTube funnel.Using its content deals, YouTube is searching to become next-generation content provider having a slew of online "channels" showing professional programming. The approach is comparable to the way in which cable operators offer channels, but YouTube is not charging customers monthly customer costs.??The website is investing a lot more than $100 million in payday loans for that content production and it is searching for advertising revenue in exchange, the "Journal" stated. It'll later split that ad revenue with content partners. The professional content channels are required to unveil the coming year.A YouTube spokesperson told the "Journal": "We do not discuss rumor or speculation, but we are always speaking to content designers and curators of all types about building audiences online.Inch The Hollywood Reporter

You'll Never Guess What R-Rated Comedy Newt Gingrich Watched 7 Times

Funny story: Newt Gingrich is still hoping to become the Republican presidential candidate in the 2012 general election, despite poll numbers in the single digits. Equally funny story: Gingrich has reportedly admitted to watching 'The Hangover' not once, not twice, but seven times. Gingrich told the Concord Monitor (via The Hill) that he and his wife love 'The Hangover' even though the Todd Phillips-directed film is "totally stupid." "We can't help ourselves," said Gingrich. No word on whether the long-shot presidential candidate has the same affinity for 'The Hangover Part II,' but if so, he should probably keep it to himself when he visits Utah. [The Hill] [Photo: AP] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Watch Online The Hangover 2

Lifetime renews 'Dance Moms'

Lifetime has renewed "Dance Moms" for a 13-episode second season. The audience for "Dance Moms" has increased during its freshman campaign, which ends Oct. 5. Over the past four weeks, the unscripted skein has averaged 1.6 million viewers, a 62% increase over its premiere. For the year, it is averaging 1.3 million. Lifetime also notes that with a median viewer age of 38, "Dance Moms" is the cabler's youngest-skewing original program. Jeff Collins, Bryan Stinson and John R. Corella exec produce "Dance Moms" for Collins Avenue. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Watch Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon For Free

TV Ratings: 'The Office' Return Dips, 'The Big Bang Theory' Tops Thursday

NBC The competition is getting fierce on Thursday nights. Fox topped the night with the second episode of The X Factor (12.5 million total viewers, 4.3 rating in adults 18-49 demographic). Simon Cowell's new reality competition series tied its series debut on Wednesday in total viewers and retaining most of its demo (4.3 vs. 4.4). So far this week, the network has notched victories for three of the four nights of the fall season. (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Which Show Will Be Axed First? Still, it was CBS' premiere of The Big Bang Theory (14.1 million, 4.8 and 14.7 million, 5.0) -- the show, airing back-to-back episodes and celebrating Jim Parson's second Emmy win -- that took the crown as the night's highest-rated and most-watched program for its 8:30-9 p.m. telecast. Person of Interest (13.2 million, 3.1), the high-concept drama from J.J. Abrams and Jonathan Nolan was down 9 percent compared to CSI's premiere, but ranked as the most-watched program at 9 p.m. At 10 p.m., The Mentalist (13.6 million, 2.8), down 18 percent from its premiere last year, still won the night in total tune-in. CBS was No. 2 in the demo, averaging a 3.6, but continued to fulfill its name of the "most-watched network," averaging a Thursday high: 13.6 million. PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes of THR's 'X Factor' Cover Shoot ABC's Charlie's Angels reboot (8.7 million, 2.1), though performing well above the launch of My Generation last September, didn't exactly strike a chord with viewers. The two-hour premiere of Grey's Anatomy (10.3 million, 4.1) dipped 24 percent and ranks as the veteran medical drama's lowest-premiere to date. NBC's Thursday night comedy lineup all saw decreases from last year, with most hitting lows for its season openers: Community (4 million, 1.7) dipped 23 percent, Parks & Recreation (4.1 million, 2.0) was down 38 percent and The Office (7.6 million, 3.9), with the reveal of a new branch manager and the first episode of James Spader's as a regular, saw a 11 percent drop. The eighth season opener of The Office is its lowest-rated since the first season. PHOTOS: Fall's 12 Most Anticipated Shows Even Whitney (6.1 million, 3.2) didn't improve upon the debut of work comedy Outsourced, which was canceled after one season, down 11 percent. The lull affected the launch of new series Prime Suspect (6 million, 1.8), the U.S. reboot with Maria Bello, which barely contended with its competition (The Mentalist, Grey's Anatomy) at 10 p.m. Up against heavy competition, the CW dramas The Vampire Diaries (2.5 million, 1.2) and The Secret Circle (2 million, 0.9) both saw steep drops. TV Ratings

Watch Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon The Movie

Crix mull Toronto fest's levels, lows

'Shame'Woody Harrelson was notable being an LAPD cop in Rampart. "Your Sister's Sister" Variety's senior film experts weigh in around the breakthroughs and disappointments from the 2011 Toronto Film Festival, which unspooled a selection strong on racy relationship drama, weak on politics and sometimes excessively just a few its stars.Peter Debruge: Under per week into North America's greatest film fest, things all of a sudden got cold in Toronto. The knit tops arrived on the scene, the purchasers went home and also the last couple of nights of gala tests put a definite chill on everyone's enthusiasm. Frankly, the ultimate stretch continues to be something of the disappointment for any festival that began out so strong, packing the kind of "Moneyball," "The Descendants" and "Shame" into its opening weekend.How did this happen? Tell any Toronto native you are around for that festival, and also the question always returns exactly the same: "So, perhaps you have seen any stars?" That virtually describes the fest's most questionable options, including fancy late-week premieres of these disappointments as "Trespass" (which stars Nicole Kidman and Nicolas Cage), "Purple and Daisy" (with Saoirse Ronan and James Gandolfini) and "Winnie," by which Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard reveal the unsung love story between your Mandelas.Justin Chang: Using its fabulous clothes and amusing old-age prosthetics, "Winnie" was one love story If only have been left unsung (that goes double for Jennifer Hudson's closing number). Between might Luc Besson's "The Woman,Inch Let me propose a festival moratorium on banal, well-meaning political biopics rather, it'd happen to be nice to possess some movies with a soupcon of actual politics.The possible lack of political emergency was particularly glaring considering the tenth anniversary of 9/11, to start dating ? that cuts especially deep with this September festival. Toronto duly commemorated the big event by showing a sober, rather self-serving tribute clip before tests on Sept. 11. But movies speak even louder than PR gestures, and when the 2010 selection is any suggestion, tales of terrorism and retaliation aren't weighing too heavily on present day filmmakers, who generally appear thinking about having sex, not war. Terence Davies' "The Dark Blue Ocean" and Mia Hansen-Love's "Goodbye First Love" superbly explore the ravages of turned away romance, as well as in their own, frequently fearlessly explicit ways, Sarah Polley's "Take This Waltz," David Cronenberg's "A Harmful Method" and Steve McQueen's "Shame" all test the limitations of forbidden desire.PD: "Shame" tests the limitations, okay, though I did not interact with it the way in which many experts at Venice, Telluride and Toronto did. It's fascinating that Michael Fassbender does the autumn-fest trifecta with both "Shame" and "Method": Within the latter, he plays Carl Jung, whereas "Shame" requires a decidedly non-psychoanalytic method of sex addiction. Rather than explaining, McQueen examines the smoothness through oblique angles, lengthy takes and unspoken moments. It's agonizing by design, though I'd have loved a little more insight or story make it possible for an association using the character.I discovered the approach I needed in another film, Oren Moverman's "Rampart," which signifies an enormous advance for that director of "The Messenger." With several compelling story lines along with a well-established feeling of its characters' backstories, "Rampart" takes us in to the gnarly mind of the corrupt LAPD officer, performed by Woodsy Harrelson, who experiences the film half-cocked with earthworm-thick veins throbbing both in temples. I loved the complexness churning behind his tinted shades -- a pleasant contrast using the zen-like inscrutability from the fest's other great L.A.-set thriller, "Drive."JC: I'll avoid gushing a lot more than I curently have about "Shame," though I'll state that your issues with McQueen's film -- its avoidance of easy identification and embrace of ambiguity -- are virtually the alternative from the problems I'd together with your fest fave, "The Descendants." Not too I do not admire Alexander Payne's bittersweet dramedy it is the smoothest picture of his career and most likely as funny a movie about losing a spouse/parent as anybody has available. However I like my movies about dying to visit lower with a little more sting, especially from the director who's done his best product (for me personally, "Election") within the key of callous satire.For "Rampart," as i did not respond as vigorously while you did, I am entirely agreement about Woodsy Harrelson's terrific performance, and between this and "The Messenger," Moverman is clearly a large talent. Similarly satisfying were the confirmations of early promise from filmmakers like Julia Loktev together with her accomplished and intelligent "The Loneliest Planet" Lynn Shelton together with her terrifically behaved "Your Sister's Sister" (acquired by IFC within this steady although not spectacular sales year) and Polley with "Take This Waltz."PD: No film affected me more at Toronto than "Take This Waltz." Stylistically, the film is nearly off-investing in its sunny cuteness, but, like a portrait of the lady struggling with grass-is-eco-friendly syndrome, it's wrenching through the finish. "Waltz," that was produced in Montreal, assisted overturn a lengthy-standing prejudice I have held against Canadian films in Toronto. Formerly, the bar appeared to become lower for local fare (Cronenberg and Guy Maddin making reliable exceptions), but this season, four of the greatest movies I saw were homegrown.Jean-Marc Vallee's "Coffee shop p Flore" constitutes a stylish companion piece to "Waltz" for the reason that it handles a lady visiting terms using the fact her ex-husband's true soulmate is another person. Ingrid Veninger's brave little indie "I'm a Good Person/I'm a Bad Person" (hidden away within the fest's Vanguard section) shows keen understanding of the contradiction between being creatively provocative along with a responsible parent simultaneously. And Philippe Falardeau's inspiring "Monsieur Lazhar" -- a good Algerian refugee who helps a grade-school class deal with their teacher's suicide -- strikes me like a no-brainer for everyone as Canada's foreign-language Oscar submission.JC: It had been also an excellent fest for British company directors -- not only McQueen but additionally Andrea Arnold, whose "Wuthering Levels" reps a bold departure in the classical tradition of literary adaptation, and Davies, who with "The Dark Blue Ocean" shipped an exquisitely motion picture, almost Proustian illustration of stated tradition. Incidentally, both films were co-funded through the now-shuttered U.K. Film Council, a significant participant on "The King's Speech" (which made an essential stay in Toronto this past year on the way to Oscar glory). At the minimum, the UKFC is unquestionably heading out on the high note.Peter, you pointed out the fest's sometimes excessive fuss over galas and stars. Among my most satisfying Toronto encounters was the entire antithesis of individuals things: Argentinian helmer Pablo Giorgelli's pitch-perfect, star-free road movie "Las acacias." Champion of the year's Camera d'Or at Cannes, it is a small movie having a huge heart, also it finishes on some quiet hope and renewal that, divorce lawyer atlanta, should chafe about this festival too. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com