can't make up its own mind

Rating: Null/10 (27 May 2017)

War Machine is a film that starts out as a promising satire, but quickly tone-shifts and tries to be something else. These shifts keep happening several times as the film progresses. It wants to criticize the US government's counterinsurgent efforts in Afghanistan through Brad Pitt's General Glen McMahon, but then wants to keep him sympathetic and wants the audience to care when he's sad or feeling hopeless. Those bits certainly don't work with Brad Pitt's performance, who is great as the General only if satirical, but just for that. David Michôd certainly has the right intentions and grasp on his subject matter, but couldn't quite translate those into a consistent film.