A film like The Ides of March lives or dies by its performances. However, not all of them are wholly satisfactory, possibly due to some underwriting on the part of George Clooney and co-writers Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon (working from the latter’s play Farragut North). Clooney also directs and co-stars in the movie. He plays Governor Mike Morris, the Democratic favourite for the White House. In the middle of a crucial primary, Morris relies a great deal on his “brain trust,” Stephen Meyers (Ryan Gosling). The latter is a smart operator, good with the media and a natural people person. However, his affair with a sexy, blonde intern named Molly Stearns (Evan Rachel Wood) may lead him down a road with no easy escapes.

Philip Seymour Hoffman, as the democratic campaign manager, has seldom been as riveting -- it’s his most original part to date because it lacks the sort of angst that seems to characterise a few of his past performances. Hoffman’s Paul Zara values “loyalty” above all things -- a point made very clear in the speechifying trailer.

Marisa Tomei’s inquisitive journalist does tend to annoy me somewhat due to her tendency to explain a lot of the story in dialogue rather than leaving certain points unspoken. Thank goodness there’s no voice-over. Also, I’m not sure whether to admire Evan Rachel Wood’s acting or her pretty figure. The role seems like a casual footnote to begin with, only to gain in importance as the film plays out. Another out-of-place figure is Paul Giamatti. I’m a fan and have been for a long time but he has too little screen time in order to do the job required. Ryan Gosling plays the only visible cipher in the film. It’s a lead role which promises a little and gives you nothing. Simply put, any type of connection an audience member is likely to have with Gosling could never happen here. He’s a gormless chap completely without empathy or -- at the very least -- a social conscience.

Working from a slight premise, Clooney (the actor) never quite links up with Clooney (the director). Both are doing vastly different jobs with no inter-connected purpose. Perhaps someone else like Steven Soderbergh should have directed The Ides of March. I wonder...

Alexandre Desplat’s score feels conspicuous by its absence. It works best when not commenting on the action. Yet, by retreading familiar themes of emotional uplift or dread, it plays counter to the intention set for it.

Overall, the conceit of The Ides of March proves to be its undoing. A key plot revelation in the middle tarnishes and over-complicates a basically rounded take on the political/campaign process. The final image, like many before it, could leave some viewers up in the air.

(Released by Sony Pictures Entertainment and rated “R” for pervasive language and adult themes.)