Claiming that The Men Who Stare at Goats is the funniest film of the year is not saying much, as it’s only April, and we haven’t really been spoilt with truly funny films so far.
Although movies labeled as black comedies don’t guarantee screenings accompanied with roaring laughter, The Men Who Stare at Goats is only as black as to make you hysterically laugh at issues such as faith, conviction and mental powers. Oh, and at men who stare at goats.
First of all, the backbone of the story – which contains more true elements that you would dare to believe – is neither too promising, nor too difficult. A journalist (Ewan McGregor) goes to Iraq to escape from his collapsed marriage and to cover the war. However, he meets a seedy man in Kuwait, who tells him about the super-secret New Earth Army, a battalion within the US Army set up after the Vietnam war, whose soldiers try to stop wars and make peace using solely their powerful minds. Our journo tags along with the ex-psychic spy (George Clooney) on his mission in the desert, learning more about the founding father of the battalion, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) and his nemesis, Hooper (Kevin Spacey), and writing the whole story of the Jedi Warriors at the end.
Based on the above, you might expect another boring movie exploring the dark secrets of the US Army. Fortunately, that’s where you’d be wrong. What you will get, though, is a moustached, killing-goats-and-bursting-clouds-with-his-gaze, beatnik and brilliant George Clooney; an under-the-influence, old hippy Jeff Bridges; and a lunatic Kevin Spacey revising the old CIA methods of interrogation; as well as dialogues dealing with the most fundamental questions of the world and the human soul in a way that you’ll laugh and cry ‘till it hurts. You’ll even find subtle hints at American elite culture: Ewan McGregor (aka Obi-Wan Kenobi) doesn’t believe in Jedis; according to the Iraqi propaganda, the stay-at-home wives of US soldiers cheat on their hubbies with Bart Simpson; and the five-part touch of death of Kill Bill is a fake, one knock on the head is more than enough.
The Men Who Stare at Goats has been accused of being a Coen movie rip-off, which it is definitely not. The Men Who Stare at Goats is no Fargo, just a brilliant comedy loaded with moustaches, mute goats, generals running into walls, ‘80s hits, Jedis, flowers and New Age philosophy, but above all, with actors who apparently had loads of fun making this movie and staring at goats.