The Cast: George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Marisa Tomei, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Max Minghella, Evan Rachel Wood The Director: George Clooney (Good Night, And Good Luck, Leatherheads) The Plot: During the frantic last days before a heavily contested Ohio presidential primary, an up-and-coming campaign press secretary (Gosling) working for an Oval Office candidate (Clooney) finds himself involved in a political scandal that threatens to upend his candidate's shot at the top. The Reason to See It: Clooney is a natural as a presidential candidate on the fast track to the Oval Office, but who is the man behind the man? Co-written and directed by Clooney, The Ides of March delves into the challenges and compromises of the staffers who prop up the political façade.