Clooney’s character takes a back seat to the action going on behind the scenes of a brutal campaign. His character receives relatively little screen time, compared to the rest of a really formidable cast. Clooney and his writing partner have a voracious appetite for their subject matter and are familiar with the innards of campaign strategy. The problem – yes, there is one – lies with a plot that seems all too predictable. Once things derail for Gosling’s character, the suspense in this political thriller dwindles. Although the premise and framework is well set, the storyline begins to erode and even the charisma of a top-notch cast isn’t quite enough to make audiences feel completely fulfilled when they leave the theater. That being said, “The Ides of March” is a compelling drama and, with a cast of incomparable character actors, remains, an entertaining way to distract us from the real-life political dramas unfolding before our eyes.