The Men Who Stare at Goats is the first feature directed by Grant Heslov. Heslov is perhaps best know as a producer and writing partner of George Clooney. To me he will always be the guy who loved coffee in Dante’s Peak.

Based on a book by Jon Ronson, Goats tells the story of Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), a field reporter in Kuwait who’s trying to get into Iraq. To meet that end, he partners with Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a former, or possibly current military psychic who’s going into Iraq on a not-quite-straightforward mission. Throughout the course of their misadventures, McGregor narrates the back story of Clooney’s character and his place in the U.S. Government’s “New Earth Army.” In these flashbacks we meet Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey, who were also members of the New Earth Army, and are better actors than should have been in these parts.

Most of the movie plays out like a remake of Spies Like Us, which were the parts I liked; the rest is a sort of maudlin “stay true to yourself” hooey that makes my teeth hurt.

All things considered, it’s pretty good. Good casting of an interesting story. There’s kidnapping, vehicular assault, secret desert bases, and more than a few “long hairs” in army uniforms. I didn’t turn it off, nor did I think of doing it, but I probably won’t watch this one a second time. I would and probably will recommend it to people who want something lighter for a weekday night. – [DVD] [Blu-Ray]

Comedy/War

Rated R

DVD Release Date: 3/23/10

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