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Product Description
Kevin Spacey, George Clooney and Ewan McGregor star in this war spoof based on the non-fiction book by Jon Ronson. With a freshly-failed marriage behind him, rookie reporter Bob Wilton (McGregor) decides to lose himself in the romance of war by travelling to Iraq to report from the front line. Bob gets more than he bargains for when he meets Lyn Cassady (Clooney), a 'psychic' special forces agent who reveals the existence of a secret, New Age-influenced military unit whose goal is to put an end to war by using mind control techniques, peace and love as taught in Vietnam in the early 1970s by 'New Earth Army' founder Bill Django (Jeff Bridges). When Bob and Lyn set out together across the Kuwait border into Iraq, they get kidnapped and end up in a secret desert training camp run by Django's treacherous former student Larry Hooper (Spacey), who is running a lab of bizarre paranormal experiments aided by his former mentor, now a spaced-out alcoholic.
Synopsis
The Men Who Stare At Goats is an hilarious comedy inspired by a real life story you will hardly believe is true.
Reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) is in search of his next big story when he encounters Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) who claims to be part of “The New Earth Army”, an experimental US Army unit. According to Cassady, a legion of psychic warriors with unparalleled 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.
Inspired by Jon Ronson’s bestselling book, this is an eye-opening and hilarious comedy led by an all-star cast.
Reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) is in search of his next big story when he encounters Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) who claims to be part of “The New Earth Army”, an experimental US Army unit. According to Cassady, a legion of psychic warriors with unparalleled 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.
Inspired by Jon Ronson’s bestselling book, this is an eye-opening and hilarious comedy led by an all-star cast.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By C. Longton
Format:DVD
Seriously funny and off beat and with more than a couple of sly messages hidden in its depths, this is a great movie if you love the Coen brothers and George Clooney collaborations (though of course its not, it might as well have been). Its kind of like Oh Brother Where Art Thou, but with a touch of The Big Lebowski, taking acid in Iraq. With heavy hints of Shakespear (King Lear springs readily to mind) and political farce and Starwars references aplenty, what more could you want?
George Clooney proves yet again he is a great tragi/ comedic actor when he's given the right material, and puts in an age defying performance for the flash back scenes. With great support from the 'master' Jeff Bridges (how can that guy can become 20 years older/ younger with just a facial expression is beyond me) the glorious jealousy of Kevin Spacey and the narration of the wise fool played by Ewan McGreggor its well worth more than a second viewing.
The only flaw is that some plot lines where not fully exploited to their subversive advantage (who was Mahmood exactly?) My only theory as to why it didn't do better at the box office though is that a lot of people simply just didn't get it. A sleeper classic.
George Clooney proves yet again he is a great tragi/ comedic actor when he's given the right material, and puts in an age defying performance for the flash back scenes. With great support from the 'master' Jeff Bridges (how can that guy can become 20 years older/ younger with just a facial expression is beyond me) the glorious jealousy of Kevin Spacey and the narration of the wise fool played by Ewan McGreggor its well worth more than a second viewing.
The only flaw is that some plot lines where not fully exploited to their subversive advantage (who was Mahmood exactly?) My only theory as to why it didn't do better at the box office though is that a lot of people simply just didn't get it. A sleeper classic.
130 of 143 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I went to see this movie at the cinema with two male friends. After taking some serious questioning as to whether I {the lone female} merely wanted to see it because George Clooney was in it, they capitulated. The three of us then spent the next couple of hours doubled up at this inventively funny movie. Ewan MacGregor plays the journalist out to prove himself to perfection, and is matched by George Clooney's secretive, mildly paranoid, overly confident former psi-spy. Kevin Spacey is wonderfully loathesome as the creep he was in training with, and Jeff Bridges may well have been born to play the Hippy commander whose military training program involves dancing, finding one's centre, and learning to run through walls. With varied levels of success.
Neatly switching between Clooney's current mission in 90s Iraq, and his younger days as a trainee in the psychic arts (with a Beatles haircut), the film has a streak of dark humour running through it which is little short of sublime. Perhaps not to everybody's taste, but honestly - what is?
Neatly switching between Clooney's current mission in 90s Iraq, and his younger days as a trainee in the psychic arts (with a Beatles haircut), the film has a streak of dark humour running through it which is little short of sublime. Perhaps not to everybody's taste, but honestly - what is?
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Hard Press
Format:DVD
The fact that I'm still trying to work out whether this film is a good one or not sums it up really. Yes, I laughed out loud at times; yes, some good writing and dark humour in parts; yes, some good acting from Clooney, Bridges et al - in parts... But. I am left feeling that it was fatally flawed somewhere along the line even though it had the potential, perhaps, to be a sort of Catch 22 it never quite delivers but, ultimately, I did enjoy it but like a snack bar I was left wantng more with a curiously empty feeling.
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3.3 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very Good!
Grant Heslov's comedy war film follows the story of Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) whose marriage falls apart at the outset so he decides to head for Iraq in search of a story. Read more
Published 2 days ago by D Brown
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good
Good DVD. Good story line good acting watch a lot of film's and this was a film worth watching. Thanks.
Published 20 days ago by Thomas Trefor Tyler
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not what I was expecting
A disappointment with such a huge star cast. Someone please tell George Clooney not to work in comic roles. Stick to heist movies or maybe do some serious roles. Read more
Published 28 days ago by P. Gibson
5.0 out of 5 stars
Mad film
Love this film. Bought this extra copy to give as a present
this film is even crazier , when you realise that the Americans
were actually experimenting with things like... Read more
this film is even crazier , when you realise that the Americans
were actually experimenting with things like... Read more
Published 29 days ago by Barrie Tonkin
2.0 out of 5 stars
No direction, no laughs
I wasn't really sure what this film was supposed to be. If it was a comedy it failed as I didn't raise a single smile, and if it was anything else it also failed as I switched it... Read more
Published 2 months ago by R. Jenner
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bought it despite having already seen the film, or even because we had
I don't always laugh at comedies as I often find the humour peurile, but this was one which made me laugh out loud. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Aurora
4.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoyable
Enjoyed this movie, story line was a bit of the wall, but all in all it was entertaining, well worth buying,
Published 2 months ago by John MacGregor
3.0 out of 5 stars
Reality is stranger than fiction....
What many people reviewing this film seem to have misunderstood or not realised is that it is (very) loosely based on the book of the same name, which in turn was subsequent to a 3... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Bunky
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very funny and very good........
I didn't have very high expectations for this film.....even though people had told me it was good!
It has a great cast Clooney,Spacey,Bridges and McGregor..... Read more
It has a great cast Clooney,Spacey,Bridges and McGregor..... Read more
Published 2 months ago by mandynolan
3.0 out of 5 stars
No Book
No book so not as advertised, hence the low score . But the Blu-ray was the main thing so OK.
Published 3 months ago by L. Purdy
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