The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

Director:

Grant Heslov

Writers:

Peter Straughan (screenplay)
Jon Ronson (book)

Release Date:

6 November 2009 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | War

Tagline:

No goats. No glory.

Plot:

A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's New Earth Army, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions.

Plot Keywords:

Staring Contest | Box Office Hit | Hippie | Goat | New Age

Cast

George Clooney	...	Lyn Cassady
Ewan McGregor	...	Bob Wilton
Jeff Bridges	...	Bill Django
Kevin Spacey	...	Larry Hooper
Stephen Lang	...	Brigadier General Dean Hopgood
Robert Patrick	...	Todd Nixon
Waleed Zuaiter	...	Mahmud Daash
Stephen Root	...	Gus Lacey
Glenn Morshower	...	Major Holtz
Nick Offerman	...	Scotty Mercer
Tim Griffin	...	Tim Kootz
Rebecca Mader	...	Debora Wilton
Jacob Browne	...	Lieutenant Boone
Todd La Tourrette	...	Dave
Brad Grunberg	...	Ron

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45563) | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Norway:15 | Netherlands:12 | UK:15 | Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

BBC Films

Trivia:

In this film about male bonding and trying to find the proper male role, the only dialog spoken by females is either from off-screen (Debra Wilton) or in a man's imagination (VC Woman), although towards the end a female soldier laughs.

Goofs:

Factual errors: You cannot get a Dishonourable Discharge from a Investigation Board. Only a Courts Martial can give a DD. Furthermore, DD's can only be given to enlisted personnel. Commissioned officers are given a 'dismissal' from the service, which carries the same penalties and social stigma associated with a Dishonorable Discharge.

Quotes:

Lyn Cassady: Dear Mother Earth... I will drink your blue waters... and eat your green skin.

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Soundtrack:

Oudistic

A great way to spend a lazy afternoon with a couple of mates

I'm going to say its definitely up there in the top few films I've seen at the cinema this year. It has been criticised for lacking more biting criticism of the US government, but I think people who are saying that are missing the point. It does have a fair bit to say about how stupid the US Military can be and how they like to blow money on obviously pointless ventures, but there is a whole other side to it.

I thought that the film was more about the human spirit and how that if you want to make a difference and want to do something you've got to really go for it no matter how stupid the aim. Obviously the idea of trying to be a psychic spy is unattainable and may sound ludicrous, but so may be the notion of trying to create world peace and help bring different people together over a united cause. The film was more about how these drifters and lost souls managed to find something that they found worthy of pursuing and really devoted themselves to it, and I think this message is more admirable than any side-criticism of the USA.

The film plays out mainly as a buddy movie with Geogre Clooney, who is doing his usual comic act very well, and Ewan McGregor as they head around Iraq not really knowing what they are looking for and getting into loads of hilarious antics along the way. I don't think I've laughed so much in the cinema this year, and the whole audience was laughing along as well.

I thought the structure was hardly groundbreaking, but done really well. Flashbacks involving Jeff Bridges and Clooney help add comic relief during some of the straighter scenes in the film and also at times are used to rack up the tension and reveal interesting insights. It is of course up to your interpretation if the flashbacks are 100% real, because they are told from the point of view of Ewan McGregor, recounting stories that were told to him by Clooney. This sorts out another common criticism that the film is extremely unrealistic, but there are some key scenes saying that Clooney might not be telling the whole truth that I feel have been overlooked.

It isn't going to be Oscar-fare or the greatest thing you'll ever see but with a good cast and a lot of laughs there isn't really going to be a much better way of spending a lazy Saturday afternoon with some popcorn and a buddy or two.