Goats and Clooney, Goats and Humor

Rating: 6/10 (8 November 2009)

Grant Heslov, producer and co-writer of Good Night, and Good Luck has took a stab at a new satire type of comedy, The Men Who Stare at Goats. Starring Academy Award Winners George Clooney and Kevin Spacey, Academy Award Nominee Jeff Bridges, and Ewan McGregor this funny, although at times flat gem tries to take itself a bit too seriously. Heslov pokes fun at the military, which is funny, war, which is not so funny, and the stupidity of our leaders across the globe.
The performances for the most part pull you though immensely and you rely on them solely for it to succeed. Ewan McGregor, snubbed big time for Moulin Rouge, is the best that he's been in years. His amusing gestures and screen chemistry with fellow co-star Clooney are some of the best parts of the film. His "Bob Wilton," a journalist searching for his life-altering moment for his cheating spouse, is sympathetic but doesn't require too much for him.
Clooney is as funny as ever as "Lyn Cassidy," a man on a mission with a bit more problems than he likes to show. He shows the same type of humor seen in last year's Burn After Reading. Clooney seems to be having a big year ahead of him along with a (supposedly) star turn in Up in the Air and voice-work in Fantastic Mr. Fox. Clooney has hit a stride with his choices in films and is riding it wonderfully right now.
Bridges, who beyond any comprehension remains without an Oscar, is delightful as any as "Bill Django," a hippie military general with a unique outlook on life. Despite his minimal screen time, not interacting too much with his fellow actors, this may help his campaign for his upcoming work Crazy Heart.
Two-time Academy Award Winner Kevin Spacey shows his villain-like chops once again as "Larry Hopper," a relentless and jealous soldier looking to lead an operation of his own. Spacey doesn't go above and beyond anything we've seen of him lately but it's a solid turn for him nonetheless.
The screenplay by Peter Straughan is nothing spectacular, at times the narrative takes sudden twist and turns that lose the viewer throughout. I'm not sure if it's trying to make a political statement or just vaguely make fun of it. However, Heslov and Straughan's film may not be for everyone and it seems everyone is exactly split on it. The Men Who Stare at Goats is hugely entertaining for wise-cracks and shock value, the true story part however, is up to you to decide.
***/****