Over-hyped and too subtle as satire

Rating: 6/10 (28 June 2010)

Given the relentless marketing that accompanied this movie into theaters, expectations are necessarily going to be high. Unfortunately, for me those expectations set the bar too high for something I might have found more enjoyable absent the hype.
Part of what made it hard for me to enjoy this movie was that virtually every character was over the top. On reflection, I see that that they were, in fact, caricatures and not meant to be believable characters. However that satirical aspect was a bit too subtle and they all came across as simply "jumping the shark", as it were. It wasn't billed as satire, it was billed as a tour de force for George Clooney and, as such, it falls somewhat short.
Seen in the right frame of mind, I think this movie could be an enjoyable diversion. However, if you are expecting the movie of the year (or a feel good movie), you'll likely be disappointed.