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The Men Who Stare At Goats

Cute at times, but could have been so much more.

Premise

The main issue with the movie was slight, yet all-encompassing: tone. It started with and maintained a perspective of gently poking fun at the psychics. The problem is that early in Act II George Clooney was proven to have real powers! Why did the movie treat him like a wacko when he burst a cloud with his mind! (This was actually a double-whammy because I can believe some psychic powers, but altering nature is not one of them.)

Clooney was great in his role, but this contradiction doomed the flick. It would have worked had Clooney’s abilities not been proven till the end (or at all). Like Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story, there could have been moments where Clooney did something cool yet Ewan McGregor and the audience could have explained it in other ways.

Structure / Plot

I feel it would have been better had Clooney’s objective at the start of Act II been a little more specific. Not that it should have been spelled out, but perhaps the location could have been mentioned. The way it was, the momentum stalled when they entered Iraq and the story suddenly felt muddled…the obstacles to the destination were frustrating since the destination was not clear. Though I did enjoy the latter parts when Clooney found Jeff Bridges and “rescued” him.

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