The Men Who Stare at Goats
In this black comedy, inspired by a real life story, reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) is in search of his next big story when he encounters Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a shadowy figure who claims to be part of an experimental U.S. military unit. According to Cassady, the New Earth Army is changing the way wars are fought. A legion of 'Warrior Monks' with unparalleled psychic powers can read the enemy’s thoughts, pass through solid walls, and even kill a goat simply by staring at it.
Now, the program’s founder, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), has gone missing and Cassady’s mission is to find him. Intrigued by his new acquaintance’s far-fetched stories, Bob impulsively decides to accompany him on the search. When the pair tracks Django to a clandestine training camp run by renegade psychic Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey), the reporter is trapped in the middle of a grudge match between the forces of Django’s New Earth Army and Hooper’s personal militia of super soldiers.
- Director:
- Grant Heslov (feature debut)
- Writer:
- Peter Straughan
- Cast:
- George ClooneyEwan McGregorKevin SpaceyJeff BridgesJ.K. SimmonsRobert PatrickStephen LangStephen Root
Reviews & comments
100 word review
A top secret unit of men in the US military have been trained in the non-lethal arts of paranormal hoopla. A reporter meets one of these retired men and- uhh- they both go to Iraq for some reason. They free some goats, Jeff Bridges plays a hippie again and there’s LSD use at some point, a sizable hint of how to get any enjoyment out of this movie. The...
Not quite what I expected...
Might need a second viewing to really appreciate this film, but I don't wanna spend any more money on it... Story had amazing potential to be hilarious, but ends up a really big flop, kinda thinking 'how did I sit through all that?' Kinda starts as a flop and stays there. Trailer looked great, watch that instead, maybe? Maybe one or two genuine laughs,...
Variety
pressA superbly written loony-tunes satire, played by a tony cast at the top of its game.
TVNZ
pressBased on a book by Jon Ronson (and an apparently true investigation) comes the film adaptation of The Men Who Stare At Goats.
Total Film
pressThe Men Who Stare At Goats, Jon Ronson’s exposé of how insane fringe experiments into the paranormal paved the way for Abu Ghraib, had potential to become cinema’s defining comedic assault on the War On Terror. Alas, after the laser-sighted precision of In The Loop, Grant Heslov’s film seems all the more scattershot.
Roger Ebert
pressAll of the actors play without winks and spins, unless you consider Lebowskism itself a wink and spin.
Los Angeles Times
pressStill worth watching because it provides a showcase for a group of actors who really appreciate this kind of farcical comedy.
Hollywood Reporter
pressEven if The Men Who Stare at Goats is not worth comparing to "Dr. Strangelove," it should satisfy audiences with its great cast and patent absurdities, coated in quaint nostalgia for the happy hippie days of yore.
Empire Magazine
pressGeorge Clooney dazzles and Jeff Bridges shines in a scattershot but often hilarious military farce.
Variety
pressA superbly written loony-tunes satire, played by a tony cast at the top of its game.
TVNZ
pressBased on a book by Jon Ronson (and an apparently true investigation) comes the film adaptation of The Men Who Stare At Goats.
Total Film
pressThe Men Who Stare At Goats, Jon Ronson’s exposé of how insane fringe experiments into the paranormal paved the way for Abu Ghraib, had potential to become cinema’s defining comedic assault on the War On Terror. Alas, after the laser-sighted precision of In The Loop, Grant Heslov’s film seems all the more scattershot.
Roger Ebert
pressAll of the actors play without winks and spins, unless you consider Lebowskism itself a wink and spin.
Los Angeles Times
pressStill worth watching because it provides a showcase for a group of actors who really appreciate this kind of farcical comedy.
Hollywood Reporter
pressEven if The Men Who Stare at Goats is not worth comparing to "Dr. Strangelove," it should satisfy audiences with its great cast and patent absurdities, coated in quaint nostalgia for the happy hippie days of yore.
Empire Magazine
pressGeorge Clooney dazzles and Jeff Bridges shines in a scattershot but often hilarious military farce.
100 word review
A top secret unit of men in the US military have been trained in the non-lethal arts of paranormal hoopla. A reporter meets one of these retired men and- uhh- they both go to Iraq for some reason. They free some goats, Jeff Bridges plays a hippie again and there’s LSD use at some point, a sizable hint of how to get any enjoyment out of this movie. The...
Not quite what I expected...
Might need a second viewing to really appreciate this film, but I don't wanna spend any more money on it... Story had amazing potential to be hilarious, but ends up a really big flop, kinda thinking 'how did I sit through all that?' Kinda starts as a flop and stays there. Trailer looked great, watch that instead, maybe? Maybe one or two genuine...
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