Ref: Mulhern
#22 The Ides of March
My sis and I rented this movie despite hearing a negative assessment of it from our parents, who usually enjoy both Clooney and political commentary. We were pleasantly surprised to find a film that balanced idealism and cynicism in a way that mirrors today's political climate. Ryan Gosling hits every right note as the campaign staffer who doesn't want to believe in his idol's fall from grace, and George is, as ever, impeccable in his portrayal, here as the leader who can talk a good game but isn't all he appears to be. As in Mulhern's assessment, politics in The Ides of March are the realm of men; women don't have a place in the real action. Thinking back on it, this was reminiscent of The Ghost Writer in some of its ambiance and general outlook.
#21 The Help
This film was viewed during our household's "Month of Emma Stone," when for three weeks straight we watched the theatrical run of a feature in which that box office sweetheart appeared. Love me some Emma Stone. Unlike Mulhern, I had previously read the novel on which The Help is based, so while we both expected much of what happened, I enjoyed the advantage of having more background context.
While B promptly saw The Help as Oscar bait, I was more immediately enamored with its translation to screen and its character portrayals. Everything is somewhat simplified from the book to the movie, so that's a bit of a loss. But all in all, the strong actresses show what it's like to be a woman in the two very different worlds that exist side by side.
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