This oddball adventure comedy of a film worked incredibly well across all fronts. The acting, albeit by an entirely male cast, was phenomenal, though nothing less could be expected from such names as George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, and Kevin Spacey. Ewan, as a young reporter who has recently been left by his wife, fills a more timid role than he's typically had in the past, and performs it brilliantly, showing a real character arc from beginning to finish. The plot is very loose and convoluted, even a little forced at times, but the focus is so much more about the characters than the actual events, and unlike Blow Up below, The Men Who Stare at Goats pull off that transformation and bring real resolution to the viewers. The film is full of subtle puns and inside jokes that fly just close enough to the radar that you can pick up on them, but close enough to the edge that a second viewing would probably yield laughs missed on the first pass. The film was shot well, and if that's any indication for his most recent film, The Town (shot in Boston), I'll be very excited to see it. The Men Who Stare at Goats with all aspects taken into account, had real character, real depth, and as far-fetched as the plot may have been, it was very entertaining.
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1/14/2010
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