It’s somewhat presumptuous to even be asking this question, especially since I have yet to see “Drive,” “The Ides of March” or even “Crazy, Stupid Love,” but I can’t help but wonder: is Ryan Gosling the best actor of his generation? Let’s just take a look at the roles he’s played, shall we?
Idealistic, confident young attorney (“Fracture”). Schlubby asshole burnout husband (“Blue Valentine”). Smooth-talking lounge lizard (“Crazy, Stupid Love”). Enigmatic, mysterious, heroic stunt driver (“Drive”). Crackhead middle school teacher (“Half Nelson”). Guy in love with a fucking sex doll (“Lars and the Real Girl”).
The man goes all over the place, and knocks it out of the park every time. What other under-40 actor out there surprises and electrifies us so consistently? Perhaps post-“Departed” DiCaprio, but as much as I’ve grown fond of Leo lately, I still don’t think he’s got quite the range that Gosling does. Ditto Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Certainly not Jake Gyllenhaal. Or James Franco. Or Jude Law. Heath Ledger might’ve. Maybe Christian Bale. Casey Affleck needs to do more stuff, but he’s lurking.
The point is, Gosling’s involvement in this project has me more excited than any of the rest of the cast, and when you’re talking about George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright and Marisa Tomei, THAT’S SAYING SOMETHING. This movie has me hooked already. The political message looks timely, giving Clooney a nice follow-up to the sterling “Good Night, and Good Luck” (let’s just forget “Leatherheads” ever happened, yeah?). The “Julius Caesar”-esque themes of betrayal, loyalty, dignity and principle are already resonating, just from this brief glimpse. And maybe it’s just the inherent tension of this trailer (or our preconditioned distrust of politicians), but I swear there’s something menacing behind Clooney’s smile this time around, a la Pierce Brosnan in “The Ghost Writer.”
In summary, “West Wing” meets “State of Play” (BBC version)? Yes yes, please please.
The Best Films of Our Lives 
I’m really excited for this movie after that trailer! Amazing cast. Sends shivers up my spine. Also, why does Paul Giamatti sound and look exactly the same in every movie he’s ever in? I definitely think Ryan Gosling is better than Leo, but we need to give my beloved Joseph Gordon-Levitt some more time.
Is there a reason this post is called the Ides of October, and not March?
Because the movie comes out in October. It was kind of a stretch.
I cannot believe that Gosling is still only 30. The Believer, Half Nelson, Lars and the Real Girl, and Blue Valentine give him more great dramatic performances than most actors get in a lifetime. He’s also fantastic in Crazy, Stupid, Love. Opinion seems split on that movie (I loved it) but everyone seems to agree that he was awesome. Now he’s got Ides of March (great description by the way, The West Wing meets State of Play seems like the perfect recipe for success) and Drive to follow it up. He seems to be on the Leo DiCaprio path (who had a very similar career through 30) which is fine by me since I would consider them to be possibly the two greatest actors of their generation.