The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

Rating: 7/10 (10 June 2012)

The Men Who Stare at Goats is delightfully funny. With such a charismatic cast and ridiculous premise, it wants to be. We've all heard the stories of the soldiers asked to stare at goats, to try and harm them. It's funny, it's stupid, and it could have been a wonderful satire. The film, however, has too much focus on a road trip style narrative, with too many flashbacks. You're never sure where the film is coming from, or where it's going. Does it want us to see Clooney as a crackpot, or a talented hero, or a misguided man? etc. It is fun, especially when you have Spacey tripping on acid and Bridges as a hippie colonel. But a better story for the brilliant premise, would have been appreciated.