THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS reviewed

If George Clooney and partner in crime Grant Heslov hadn’t adapted Jon Ronson’s unusual Iraq War memoir, it would’ve been a perfect project for the Coen Bros. I say that because generally, this kind of atypical story is set-aside for filmmakers like those eccentric siblings. I mean, who else would hire acclaimed actors like Clooney, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges and Ewan McGregor and have them rolling around a Middle Eastern desert while tripping on acid or dancing like hippies in basic training?

The focus of the film is on the New Earth Army, a crackpot team of self-proclaimed psychics who, as a secret sect of the US military, train themselves in the art of mind control, invisibility, and the dreaded, heart-stopping stare of death. Seriously. The movie is 70% comedy, 15% drama and 15% actioner, but judged as a whole, it is a thoroughly entertaining experience. Oh yeah, and it’s actually a true story. Seriously.

Clooney plays Lynn Cassady, a gifted psychic who joins the Battalion not long after it was created in the early 1980’s by Bill Django (Bridges), a Vietnam vet who had a spiritual breakthrough in combat and decided to explore the possibilities of psychic warfare. The former plays his paranoid character using left over notes from performances in Syriana and O Brother, Where Art Thou while the latter channels “The Dude”, just with a different brand of pacifism. That should make many filmgoers quite happy; I know I was thrilled to see Bridges back in tye-dye. Together, they develop their abilities and use them to track down wanted men, making the New Earth Army a hot commodity to the military.

Unfortunately, Spacey’s slimy Larry Hooper is out to sabotage the unit and bring it closer to the establishment. He blames an accident that he caused (involving LSD and guns!) on Django, who is consequently discharged and disgraced, leaving Lynn all alone in his quest to use his newfound superpowers to end wars and save mankind. In the middle of all of these happenings that sound like they came from the local comic book shop is Bob Wilton (McGregor), an emotionally distraught American journalist who travels to the Middle East in search of a good story about the war in Iraq. He finds one in Cassady and the New Earth Army, and together they embark on a hero’s journey to restore the integrity of the unit.

The highlight of the film is its screwball script, which takes a totally implausible premise and makes it believable with satire. There are more than a few references to Star Wars, which, given the talk of superpowers, Jedi warriors and good vs. evil cliché’s throughout, is quite apt, as is McGregor’s presence in the film (the only actual Jedi in the cast). All of the character’s personalities complement one another; while they all share a common gift, they couldn’t be more different and that makes the pairing of them all, especially Clooney and McGregor, so much more comic.

At the same time, the story works as a commentary on the direction of the American War on Terror, implicating major military contractors and officials (without directly pointing fingers) of causing more damage than good deeds in the region. Having the fantasy element of superpowers and the conspiracy to harness these abilities works well in keeping the film from becoming a political rant, which, knowing Clooney’s stance, could have happened. Most importantly, the film is totally fresh and moves at a pace that leaves time for characters and the audience to reflect but never gets sentimental or stale.

The technical elements of the movie pass on all counts, but nothing here is groundbreaking. One of the standout sequences is a firefight between two rival private security firms in the war-torn region. Its loud and well shot, but luckily doesn’t take the movie into Bruckheimer territory. No, the films strength lies in its crazy characters that converge to convey a quirky story where no viewer is capable of discerning fact from fiction. I was especially impressed with McGregor, who takes a sarcastic approach to his character in regards to the plot, but allows Wilton just enough open-mindedness to justify following Cassady on this ridiculous mission.

I feel that The Men Who Stare At Goats will go in and out of theaters, lost in the mix of the holiday movie madness. It may be polarizing to many viewers; political affiliations or stances will likely determine people's opinions. One person I screened it with said after, "I think you need to be on drugs to like the movie", to which I replied, "then maybe you should get some drugs".

Bottom line - go into the theater with an open mind. This isn't a traditional comedy; it isn't a traditional film for that matter. It will ultimately find a cult following like so many movies that refuse to adhere to the mainstream, and that’s just where it belongs.

SPILL RATING: (high) MATINEE !