User reviews

Smart and funny, absurd and a bit self-conscious but as soon as I had time to think, I thought. The cast is fun but reeks of pre-sales needs. The names in the cast propels you to expectation that are going to let you down no matter how you put it. George Clooney is great fun but try, just try to imagine a great actor you never heard of in that part. I couldn't separate the character from the actor not for a second. So I saw Clooney being funny and that does something to the film that keeps its real intentions at arms length because the star-actor gets in the way. I have a feeling however that time will be kind to this film. Audiences will be able to see it again in years to come with more objectivity and appreciate it much more.

Watching Grant Heslov's "The Men Who Stare at Goats" was tantamount to staring at a stick of dynamite - for 93 minutes - that never exploded. All the critical mass of a quirky, eccentric comedy (i.e., an able cast, a political pseudo-relevance) seemed to be undercut by clunky writing, tacky 'Watch people fall down, get run over, and laugh' stunts, and a painfully disjointed plot which can barely be deemed a plot at all. Rather, the movie featured more of a direction: an ill-defined, ill-conceived mission toward which two characters (Clooney's Lyn Cassady and McGregor's Bob Wilton) floated. The problem with the loose plot development, in this case, is that Clooney's chemistry with McGregor feels forced and their connection in the film equally contrived. The film was peppered with flashback (to which Bridges and Spacey owe the majority of their on-screen time) which jettisoned any chance the viewer had with feeling an investment toward the central story or its characters. In fact, the film stumbles from character to character so often that the viewer is caught juggling them under the central story arc -- and we never really care about most of them in the first place.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" allows for some laughs and some admirable situational ironies. But don't expect the brilliance and subtlety of "The Big Lebowski" or "American Beauty."

Taking the main absurdities from Ronson's book based on true events and adding a daft storyline to link it into some sort of flow, The Men Who Stare At Goats is decent and vaguely funny but misses serious potential. The draw to the book is that everything written is true (at least in certain people's eyes), whereas the film is mostly fictional, with true examples sprinkled in. Reading the information is far more entertaining and unbelievable than what is presented on screen. Although it wouldn't have been as traditional in cinematic values, following closer to the source material would have provided a more interesting film. Examples such as Barney the Purple Dinosaur torture are a lot more powerful than what is presented, and the film lacks any real impact. Acting is fine by all, a good cast and nothing can be faulted outside of the screenplay, which is still half-decent because of the absurdity involved, but overall it's quite lacklustre.

Well, I must say that I was looking forward to this movie - after reading the cast list and hearing a brief overview of the plot I felt that it had good potential. And whoever made the trailer did a very good job of making me want to see it.

Unfortunately, there seemed to me to be a certain amount of confusion about the film - were the directors entirely sure what type of film they were making? There are elements of comedy, satire, drama, action... but without having enough of each of these things to really give the movie a proper feel or direction. It veers close to being funny... and then veers off. It comes close to satirising American military tactics... and then goes off in another direction. I felt that a little more focus was needed overall to bring the film together.

In terms of acting, I think that generally the actors can be pleased with their work - I don't remember any specific cases of over or underacting, and the characters were about as believable as they could be in a film like this. As far as the comedy goes - this film was primarily marketed as a comedy - there are some genuinely funny moments! Overall, however, I felt that some bits needed to be trimmed down - the constant Jedi references were funny the first time but quickly wear thin.

The plot also needed a little bit of work: it started off with a promising storyline, and good editing I might add, but seemed to lose its way towards the end. It seemed as if the film-makers didn't really know where to go next. There were a few scenes that really didn't need to be included either - Robert Patrick's contribution to the film really added nothing, and could easily be removed. It was entirely forgettable and was simply a device to get the characters to the next place that they needed to be.

Overall I'd say this this is a fairly good film, certainly worth seeing. As for buying the DVD, that I'm not so sure about. If you're looking for a way to spend and hour and a half of your evening, while there are better films to see than this there are also considerably worse ones.

This film tells a story about a special army unit without having a real plot as even the main characters don't seem to know where they're heading. It's just an accumulation of absurd dialogues and crazy moments with real good actors that don't consider themselves too good to act silly (not too silly) although they certainly were unchallenged by the script. The shown sense of humour reminded me slightly of the humour in the fashion of the Coen brothers in terms of pace and surreality, however, less sarcastic, less biting and without cynicism. The characters are rather likable, harmless individuals trying to find peace in a violent surrounding. I would classify this film as a satire about everything the army represents in general and once you've realized how stupid the army is you'll find this an amusing 93 minutes of fun.

I'm going to say its definitely up there in the top few films I've seen at the cinema this year. It has been criticised for lacking more biting criticism of the US government, but I think people who are saying that are missing the point. It does have a fair bit to say about how stupid the US Military can be and how they like to blow money on obviously pointless ventures, but there is a whole other side to it.

I thought that the film was more about the human spirit and how that if you want to make a difference and want to do something you've got to really go for it no matter how stupid the aim. Obviously the idea of trying to be a psychic spy is unattainable and may sound ludicrous, but so may be the notion of trying to create world peace and help bring different people together over a united cause. The film was more about how these drifters and lost souls managed to find something that they found worthy of pursuing and really devoted themselves to it, and I think this message is more admirable than any side-criticism of the USA.

The film plays out mainly as a buddy movie with Geogre Clooney, who is doing his usual comic act very well, and Ewan McGregor as they head around Iraq not really knowing what they are looking for and getting into loads of hilarious antics along the way. I don't think I've laughed so much in the cinema this year, and the whole audience was laughing along as well.

I thought the structure was hardly groundbreaking, but done really well. Flashbacks involving Jeff Bridges and Clooney help add comic relief during some of the straighter scenes in the film and also at times are used to rack up the tension and reveal interesting insights. It is of course up to your interpretation if the flashbacks are 100% real, because they are told from the point of view of Ewan McGregor, recounting stories that were told to him by Clooney. This sorts out another common criticism that the film is extremely unrealistic, but there are some key scenes saying that Clooney might not be telling the whole truth that I feel have been overlooked.

It isn't going to be Oscar-fare or the greatest thing you'll ever see but with a good cast and a lot of laughs there isn't really going to be a much better way of spending a lazy Saturday afternoon with some popcorn and a buddy or two.

This film is about a journalist who goes to Iraq to find his ultimate story to prove to his wife the value of existence. He then travels with an eccentric ex American secret agent who claims to have supernatural abilities.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" may have a great concept, but unfortunately it is not developed to anywhere interesting. It is a mix of comedy, action, drama and sci-fi. None of these elements are developed enough to make it stand out or make it shine. The plot is thin and underdeveloped, it cannot decide whether it wants to convince me there are supernatural powers or makes me shiver due to all the complicated politics in the army. It does not make me care about the characters or what they do either. The ending conflict is so weakly staged which feels so contrived. The end result of the film is a confusing and dull collection of scenes.

After reading some of the reviews here, I came to this film expecting to be disappointed. How wrong I was! It turned out to be one of the funniest, most powerful films that I have seen in years. It reminded me of some of the great movies of the sixties and seventies. Times have changed and it seems that people no longer get the kind of satire that grabbed us back then. I was constantly reminded of films like "Catch 22,"" M.A.S.H." "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest," and "Steelyard Blues." In those days, we got it. Now, people see that "Hippy Philosophy" thing as a cliché. They cannot see the relevance to today's world, which is a pity. "The Men Who Stare At Goats' is a genre film, in the tradition of those great comic satires that challenged the status quo so effectively, 40 years back. I truly believe its reputation will grow, over the years.

While doing his boring job as a reporter-journalist, one man stumbles upon the existence of an old military secret: a branch of soldiers trained in harnessing their mental superpowers. Coincidentally, after heading off to Iraq for an inside scoop on the 2003 war, he meets another member of this secret group and his misadventures begin.

There's some weird obsession with "Star Wars" in this film. Besides the obvious talk of Jedi Warriors, there's a scene early on where the main character makes a reference to blonde farm boy, which is clearly meant to be Luke Skywalker. (What's interesting is that later the guy claims to have not seen the movies, so it's odd that he would make cryptic references.)

I cannot say enough about the amazing cast. Ewan MacGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges and George Clooney, among others. The most disappointing thing about this film is that with such an amazing cast that you would think this would be the year's blockbuster, but actually will more than likely be no more than a blip on the cinematic radar.

I don't know what's up with Roger Ebert and his Lebowski obsession. In his review, he repeatedly says that Lebowski fans will like this one and that Jeff Bridges plays his role as Lebowski playing a military man. Well, I could see some Lebowski in there, and like that other film, they both involve Iraq. But, really, I see Lebowski when I see Jeff Bridges, so that's not really a stretch. Ebert really took it beyond the necessarily bounds.

Ultimately, the film comes up short. With this cast, as I said, I expect something more. There is humor, but it's here and there. And even the plot, which is interesting, doesn't really seem to be as strong as it should be. A good film, and one I recommend to George Clooney fans, but not a hidden treasure.

Greetings again from the darkness. The best I can do here is give this one credit for trying to be a little different. From the opening credits when we are told ''You wouldn't believe how much of this is true', the quasi-farcical approach works sometimes and falls flat at other time.

George Clooney begins the film at his deadpan best, but the story is so convoluted, that even he doesn't know what to do with it after that. Can't even tell you why Ewan McGregor would take his role unless he owed actor-turned-director Grant Heslov a favor. Kevin Spacey sleepwalks through another performance, though Jeff Bridges does have some fun in a 1960's style montage.

Mostly all I can say is I am confused how a film with so much seemingly going on, could actually be so boring. The story needed to take a real direction instead of bouncing around between is it a real secret spy program, or is it a film of self-discovery, or is it a parody, or is it a commentary? Some filmmakers can mesh different styles, but rather than meshed, this one was just messy.

I guess I must have had high expectations coming into this film because although I enjoyed it I was left with a sense of "it could've been much better." The soundtrack was amazing and some of the acting left me smiling (but not laughing!). There were some great moments and some classic situations but I think the problem is that it's a one joke movie and sustaining the comedy for nearly two hours was too much.

All the usual suspects put in frenzied performances, but again I felt they were trying to hard. Don't bother to go to the theater. Wait for it on DVD. You'll enjoy it much more (rather than keep thinking about the 11 bucks you just spent!).

I thought this would be similar to something the Coen bros. might put out when it first previewed. I was wrong. While it was good for a chuckle or two, I found it boring for the most part, and am still not quite sure what the "mission" was that served as the motivation for the main characters. I also couldn't figure out if it was making fun of the men with "special powers," or if it was paying homage to them. Basically, I think someone tried to make a story out of something that really wasn't worthy of one. Perhaps the filmmakers tried to stay too close to real-life events. I think the material could have been used as the basis for a very funny fictional film. As it was, I couldn't wait for this one to end.

I did like "The Men Who Stare at Goats", however, it was not as good as I set my hopes for. This is one of those movies where the trailers and adds on television showed the funniest parts of the movie.

The story was neither here or there and I spent a majority of the time hoping they would really go somewhere, yet it never did.

I felt that the idea of the movie was very splendid, but the execution left a lot to be desired.

Clooney and Spacey were great as always. Bridges (who I am not quite as familiar with) was enjoyable as well. McGregor was not bad, yet nothing special.

Overall, not bad acting, not bad ideas, but the story could have been better. Check it out if you have a chance but don't worry if it passes you by.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" is a fascinating subject that gets the "Saturday Night Live" treatment. It's all based on fact (from Jon Ronson's book) but the concept is so silly that director Grant Heslov and George Clooney (both worked on "Good Night, and Good Luck) really can't help but make fun of it, and there are some good laughs here. Just no real story.

Ewan McGregor plays journalist Bob Wilton, a jilted husband who goes to war to forget his backstabbing wife only to end up wiling away in Kuwait. One night he meets Lyn Cassidy (George Clooney), a familiar name to him from a previous interview he did years before about psychic-spies. Lyn was the best in what was called the "New Earth Army", started by Vietnam-Vet Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) in the 80's to create soldiers with super-powers who could prevent conflict. The Army was later dismantled and used for evil purposes by the movie's antagonist Hooper (Kevin Spacey) but Lyn tells Bob he's been re-activated, and has a secret mission to do in Iraq. Bob, thinking Lyn crazy but interesting at the same time, decides to team up with him and go where the action is. Along the way, Lyn tells him stories of others dubbed, "Jedi Warriors."

Most of the movie is flashbacks, beginning with Iraq War 2003 and chronicling all the way back to the beginning of New Age warfare. There are weird and crazy laughs to be had like Lyn's initiation, where Django urges him he will never be a soldier unless he can free the dance. The lines are good too. "We tried invisibility but then worked it down to just not being seen", Lyn tells Bob upon their first meeting. Clooney is perfectly eccentric as a guy who lives by the mindfulness-over-warfare principal and McGregor is a whiny, but solid straight-man. Bridges is also terrific as this free-spirited hippie. Only the laughs and flashbacks (which feel like a series of sketches) aren't enough to distract from the fact that "Goats" really has no compelling narrative. The forward-moving story in Iraq 2003 has very little momentum. Spacey appears later on again as the villain but the conflict is weak and the movie has more than over-stayed its welcome.

I understand that not everyone will get this movie, but for me it was an overwhelming emotional ride because I share the same philosophy as the character Bill Django (Jeff Bridges). I recommend this movie to anyone who likes to ask questions about why things are the way they are in our world and wonders what we can do to change it. It was intelligent and funny, and will probably be appealing to more open-minded viewers. There are too few movies like this and I enjoyed that it made me think. It has that altruistic feel to it that doesn't sit well with everyone based on some other reviews, which perhaps makes it an even more important movie for our times.

I just came back from watching this film at my school, SUNY Purchase, and I must say I was pretty satisfied. The film is interesting and was very clever and witty. George Clooney was hilarious in his role as Lyn Cassady and Ewan McGregor was perfect for his role. Besides Clooney, my favorite character was Jeff Bridges. He hasn't disappointed me before and doesn't seem like he ever will. Kevin Spacey's character kind of annoyed me and was a bit of an arrogant jerk...but...with Kevin Spacey...it should have been expected.

I stuck around a bit for the discussion after the movie and I realized that the movie wasn't well received by adults. The audience members that were more so in the late teens to mid twenties loved the movie. I guess due to some of the content in the movie that that was the reasoning. I would recommend this movie for anyone who wants a good laugh. Although at times the movie can be a bit ridiculous, it just makes the movie all the more funnier.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" is the latest George Clooney production; as with most of the other films which he has produced or directed, this one is essentially a vehicle for his left-wing opinions. It was directed by his business partner Grant Heslov who wrote the script for another Clooney project, "Good Night and Good Luck".

The film is based upon a book by the British journalist Jon Ronson which tells the bizarre but apparently true story of a secret unit within the US Army called the First Earth Battalion which attempted to find military applications for "New Age" philosophies. The title refers to one of the unit's activities- trying to kill goats by staring at them. Other projects included trying to walk through walls, remote viewing and invisibility (not to be confused with camouflage).

The main character is Bob Wilton, a journalist covering the Iraq War in 2003. Wilton stumbles onto a possible scoop when he meets Lyn Cassady, a former Special Forces operator who claims to have been part of the New Earth Army (as the First Earth Battalion is referred to here). In the film it is also referred to as the "Jedi Warriors" after the mystical, quasi-religious warrior-monks in the "Star Wars" films. Wilton is at first sceptical, but becomes less so as Cassady tells him more about the history of the unit. It was founded in the 1970s by a Vietnam veteran named Bill Django who had taken six years from the Army in order to research various New Age movements. A split developed between the idealistic Django, who wanted to use his unit's powers only for espionage and other non-lethal purposes, and Larry Hooper, one of his recruits who wanted to use New Age teachings to develop new ways of killing. (To continue the "Star Wars" analogy, Hooper can be seen as having, like Darth Vader, gone over to the dark side of the force). Lyn left the unit in a fit of remorse after killing a goat by staring at it, believing that it is wrong to use one's psychic abilities to cause death, even the death of an animal.

Despite the presence of Gorgeous George and several other big names (Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey) and some reasonably good acting, this is not a very good film. It is often difficult to follow exactly what is supposed to be going on, or how far we are supposed to take Cassady's claims at face value. The obvious aim of the film was to satirise the US military, but the problem is that Clooney and Heslov are trying to satirise it from two different positions at the same time, without realising that these positions are quite irreconcilable and therefore cancel one another out. At times the film takes up a vaguely New Age position itself, arguing that what America needs is more of the idealistic, pacific values of the movement and less of the militaristic values of the Larry Hoopers of this world. At other times, however, the film seems to be taking the strictly rationalist position that New Age philosophy is all a load of baloney and that the US Army must be mad if they take such unscientific nonsense seriously.

"The Men Who Stare at Goats" is not nearly as good as "Good Night, and Good Luck". That film has its faults, but it also has its virtues, notably a fine performance from David Strathairn in the central role. Even if one disagrees with Clooney's politics, there can be no doubt that in "Good Night, and Good Luck" he is setting out his position clearly. One cannot say that of "The Men Who Stare at Goats". In military terms what has happened is that the two wings of General Clooney's army have got lost in the fog and started attacking each other, all the time believing that they are in fact inflicting significant damage on the enemy. 4/10

I just got back from seeing "The Men Who Stare at Goats" at the Woodstock Film Festival. I walked in knowing the main plot, and I expected it to be pretty good because of the great actors it has, the premise of the story and the music used in the soundtrack. My expectations weren't only met, but they were greatly exceeded.

The story follows a broken-hearted journalist (McGregor) who goes on the job to Iraq to prove to his ex-wife he isn't weak or frail. There, he meets Lyn Cassidy (Clooney) who is a "psychic" soldier for the US government, trained by his hippie instructor Billy (Bridges) to use his mind, peace and love to overcome hairy military situations. The story is the two mens' adventure together.

The movie is essentially broken down into I'd say 3 parts. The first part is the main story of the journalist and Lyn as they travel in Iraq on a special mission Lyn is on. The second is the very humorous back-story of the history of the creation and existence of the "psychic soldiers" of the military. When I say "back-story" and "history" I mean the main background to Lyn and Billy's character, as well as the main antagonist of the story, played by Kevin Spacey. The third part is the first person narration provided by Ewen McGregor about the things that are going on. He offers insight into his mind and opinions on the things he says and of himself and Lyn as the story progresses.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a very hilarious movie, with many quotable lines and excellent acting by the entire cast. The story is very unique and the film uses that as a great advantage to itself in setting up the humor. The characters are very real and are taken to heart right away. The film is funny, intriguing, smart, witty, fast-paced, emotional, enjoyable and inspirational. I highly recommend it to any Ewen McGregor, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey or Jeff Bridges fan, for fans of those men will not be disappointed with the acting and mannerisms of the characters those actors portrayed.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is a very fun movie to see in theaters and everyone in my audience were cracking up laughing many, many times. It is a movie for casual movie goers and film aficionados alike. Go see it.

8.5/10

I was slightly disappointed by the title...there was only one man who stared at one goat...very misleading...

The only semi funny part of the movie was George dancing...I still didn't laugh...well I guess the fact that they called Ewan McGregor Jedi throughout the movie was slightly funny as well...however if you're thinking about seeing this movie I suggest not watching it in the theater because you don't want to pay to see half a movie (you might want to leave half way through...I know I did)

I have to leave ten lines of text...but the movie was so bad I have nothing more to say about it...

bananas