A totally engaging, intelligent, funny and sometimes poignant film

Rating: 9/10 (22 March 2010)

I loved this film. I picked it from the list of what was on at our local cinema with almost no idea of what it was about, other than the description "quirky comedy", simply because I couldn't cope with a grim film that day, and I didn't want to see fluffy crap either. Turned out to be a great choice!
Has anyone else noticed just how very, very good an actor George Clooney is becoming? Even surrounded by other good actors giving great performances, George Clooney absolutely shines in this film. Clooney's Lyn Cassady is such a marvellous and fully-rounded creation that I found myself laughing at him, thinking him mad, thinking him sane, believing him, disbelieving him, and in the end, genuinely feeling for him - still not sure if he's entirely sane, but loving him anyway. George Clooney has been improving for years, but honestly, this performance is up there with the very best acting I've ever seen.
The film is a zesty romp that ranges from farce to buddy flick to moral lesson - all over the place - and holds it together perfectly. The moral compass of the film remains true throughout, without feeling heavy-handed. The pacing,for me, was exactly right - the narrative held together really well despite the frequent interjections of backstory. The structure and some of the more surreal passages reminded me of films like Being John Malkovich or Adaptation, but the performances by the leads in this film were so much more engaging that I felt a much greater emotional connection with the characters in this film than I have with characters in anything comparable I can think of.
This film was like one of those perfect novels that you simultaneously want to last forever, but can't wait to find out how it ends. Jeff Bridges gave an effortless but excellent performance as Bill Django,particularly in the latter parts of the film where he becomes less the remembered idol of Cassady and more the real man, with real history and issues of his own; and Ewan MacGregor as Bob Wilton gives a good performance too - a naive,likable journalist on a quest to win back his wife, ending up heading into Iraq and insane adventure with Cassady, ostensibly a waste contractor in search of a lucrative "reconstruction" work but in actuality a retired "warrior monk" with psychic powers. Kevin Spacey doesn't have much to work with but he's talented enough that he doesn't have to try hard to convince as Larry Hooper, the bad apple in the army's psychic barrel.
There was so much about this film to love, I could probably write an essay on it. Cinematography was fantastic, the soundtrack was fantastic, the script so full of laugh-out-loud funny that I ended up crying with laughter. And it's a smart movie too - there's a lot of ethical, social and political points being made here. They aren't hit-you-over-the-head Now Hear This kind of morals or politics, but they are there - and why not make us think while we're laughing? There were some moments toward the climax where things get genuinely poignant, and the emotional charge mostly comes from Clooney's superb performance.
Damn, I loved this movie. I got more enjoyment from it than from the last 10 movies I've seen combined.
I could have said much more about the plot, but heck, I knew nothing about it when I saw it and frankly, I think I enjoyed it more for that. Go see it. It's awesome.