The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)

This would have been perfect for my salute to Jeff Bridges

Synopsis: Ewan McGregor learns all about becoming a Jedi…no, wait that’s Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Um….George Clooney plays a grizzled military veteran who wanders around Iraq and frees unjustly-held prisoners….no, that’s Three Kings. Um… Jeff Bridges is a bearded, aging hippie who clashes with authority figures….nope, that’s The Big Lebowski. Um…Kevin Spacey is a toxic middle-manager who destroys the morale of his fellow co-workers….no, that’s Glengarry Glen Ross.

Blurb From the DVD Jacket: “No Goats, No Glory”

What Did I Learn?: 1) You never know when a Dim Mak is going to kill you. 2) The “Sparkly Eyes Technique” isn’t very impressive. 3) Once you understand the linkage between observation and reality then you begin to dance with invisibility.

You Might Like This Movie If: you could happily stare at goats all day long. 

Really?: 1) The Men Who Stare at Goats is intended to be a very strange, almost absurd satire of the US Army’s research into the paranormal, so I can cut it some slack in the credibility department. That said, I had a bit of trouble believing that Bob (McGregor) could believe he had the power to expose the entire project by writing an article when didn’t have a  shred of actual proof. Oh, and I certainly hope that none of the prisoners who are released near the end later prove to be dangerous.

Rating: The Men Who Stare at Goats is a meandering, very strange, and often quite funny dark satire of the US military’s investments in paranormal and non-lethal weapons research. The film doesn’t always make sense, but it’s an enjoyable romp through the desert. 8/10 stars

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1234548/?ref_=hm_rvi_tt