“PSYCHIC MADNESS”
Starring: Geroge Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey,
Directed by: Grant Heslov
MPAA Rating: R for language, some drug content and brief nudity
Genre: Comedy
Release date: November 2009
By John Delia
Although I am a big fan of George Clooney, not all his films work for me. This is the case of The Men Who Stare At Goats. While some may call the film creative genius, to me this film is uncreative nonsense. If you love films where the writer lets his imagination run wild, then you may get more out of the film than I. Warning: The makers of the film chose of put all the funny parts in the trailer.
Inspired by a real life story, the film centers on reporter Bob Wilton (McGregor) who’s performance has been sliding down hill. He decides to interview a man who says he has psychic powers and was with a special forces group that could do things with their minds besides think. He tells Bob that he learned it all from a guy named Lyn Cassady (Clooney). Bob travels to Kuwait during the invasion of Iraq looking for a story and happens to run into Cassady who agrees to take Bob on a special mission. When they encounter the enemy, Bob starts to have second thoughts of psychic proportion.
The first 20 minutes of the film are hilarious and then it starts to slip, becomes inane and then crashes and burns. I wanted to like the film, but it was just a little too ridiculous for me. I could only take so much of Clooney being loony until he becomes not funny anymore. However, saying that, I did enjoy the performance of Jeff Bridges as Bill Django the founder of the New Earth Army. Every time he shows up in the plot, the weirdness is more believable.
Support acting falters somewhat. Case in point; McGregor who plays Bob is just not the right choice for the part. Having a better voice coach would have helped and the references to Jedi in the film for tongue in cheek comedy (McGregor’s role in Star Wars) don’t really work.
The movie is rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity, all a part of the nonsense that cannot be forgiven.
FINAL ANALYSIS:Â You will need psychic powers to enjoy this comedy. (2.5 of 5 Palm Trees)