Review of The Men Who Stare at Goats

I can’t decide if I think that the humor in The Men Who Stare at Goatsis stupid-funny or smart-funny. I don’t like to be duped by the topic (military research into paranormal combat/peace techniques and Iraq) so I’m going to go with stupid-funny. The biggest laughs it earned from me were the ones that had me chortling “You adorable dumbass!”

Plot? Eh, kind of not the point, but Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) and Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) are looking for redemption. Ronson needs to feel like a man again after his wife leaves him and he is looking for something to believe in; Cassady brings Ronson along on an ill-defined mission, which turns out to be evening the score with goats (he feels guilty for once using his psychic powers for evil by killing an innocent goat with his mind) and good, old-fashioned “bust my buddy out of jail” kind of antics.

Paranormal research is fertile material for jokes. While none of the jokes in The Men Who Stare at Goatsare particularly original, they are well-delivered. The performances were all very believable, with angst and levity deftly conveyed. Clooney is particularly good in this movie; his portrayal of Cassady as needy, sad, boisterous, and paranoid is subtle and convincing.

While The Men Who Stare at Goats is not without problems, I think it is worthy of becoming an American classic. It’s certainly my favorite film so far this year.