A film about politics, power, corruption and betrayal, ‘The Ides of March’ is both intelligent and thrilling.

All the action takes place during the frantic last days of an Ohio presidential primary. A young press secretary (Ryan Gosling) becomes involved in a scandal that could ruin his candidate’s (George Clooney) chances at the presidency.

An excellent support cast, including Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti, adds to the drama.

The stand out performance however is George Clooney, who also directed and co-wrote the film. His complex portrayal of a politician, with charm, arrogance, sincerity and duplicity intact gives the film that stroke of credibility.