3 stars
Yes, they really stared at goats, if you believe the reports on which this movie is based. The film starts out with the statement that more of it is true than you'd believe, and proceeds to tell a bizarre tale of "The Men Who Stare at Goats."
Ewan McGregor plays Bob Wilton, a journalist who travels to Kuwait after his wife dumps him for an editor. He runs into the intense Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), who is a former Special Ops officer who claims he was part of the New Earth Army.
This troop, Cassady tells him, was trained to use "Jedi mind powers" to influence matter. Cassady says he can scatter clouds and use the "sparkle eyes" technique to get others to do his bidding. He also says he stared at a goat so long he stopped its heart, and has felt guilty about it ever since.
Much of the movie centers on the history of the New Earth Army and its commander, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges),who encouraged his men to dance regularly and trained them as psychic spies who could people and things, and use remote viewing to "see" hidden objects.
Grant Heslov, along with Clooney, wrote the top-notch "Good Night and Good Luck." The "Goats" movie is interesting but not nearly as memorable.
Bridges, essentially, plays The Dude again (all you "Big Lebowski" fans should rejoice, then run out and see this immediately if solely for his performance). Kevin Spacey plays a kind of fly in Django's psychedelic ointment, the bad seed who beings to unravel all of Django's good works. Of course Clooney's performance, as always, is quite engaging as a character who's so quirky you never know whether he's delusional or telling the truth.
Every time Clooney mentions "Jedi" warriors or powers, it's good for a giggle, especially when McGregor asks about what he means.
Depending on how far down the rabbit hole you want to go, you can research the claims of Jon Ronson, who wrote the book on which this was based, and find out about the military operations that really did transpire %u2013 or at least what various individuals have to say about them.
Obviously, this is far from a mainstream film. But every conspiracy theorist worth her or his salt, and everyone interested in the unexplained and odd, will enjoy its fringe-y subject.
Running time: 93 minutes.
Rated: R for foul language, nudity and drug use.
Stars: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Lang and Robert Patrick.
Director: Grant Heslov.
Screenwriter: Peter Straughan, based on the book by Jon Ronson.