The Men Who Stare at Goats
Director: Grant Heslov
Year Released: 2009
Rating: 2.0
Compelling, borderline unbelievable - but actually kinda true - story about the United States Army's foray into paranormal research is a great idea in need of a better constructed - and less self-consciously quirky - movie. Journalist Ewan McGregor stumbles upon this 'little secret' while doing reporting for a Michigan newspaper, eventually ending up in (present day) Iraq with 'Jedi Warrior' George Clooney. The attempt to tie in the idea of war without violence - and the use of psychology as a deterrent/weapon - with today's Iraq Occupation is obvious though admirable, but the movie lacks consistency, basically amounting to a string of clips from Jon Ronson's book. It ends with the military types being fed acid and loving the bugs and the stars and the flowers, and that's when the picture - and Clooney and Jeff Bridges - literally soar into outer space and all it amounts to is little more than a protest movie teleported from the late 60's/early 70's. We get it, we know.
