The Men Who Stare at Goats poster & wallpaper

George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges

The story of a secret unit within the US Army called the First Earth Battalion, whose paranormal military ideas mutated over the decades to influence interrogation techniques at Guantanamo Bay.

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57% liked it

5,279 ratings

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80% liked it

10 critics

R, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Grant Heslov

Release Date: November 6, 2009

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Flixster Reviews (2,760)

  • her69eyes
    November 8, 2009
    her69eyes
    The title has all the potential in the world - "The Men Who Stare at Goats". Unfortunately, however, the premise doesn't get much richer than that. With one joke in it's repertoire and a painfully uninteresting leading character, the film becomes an endurance test, even at a mere...( read more) ninety minutes.

    The film marks the directorial debut for Grant Heslov, who co-wrote and produced "Good Night and Good Luck" alongside George Clooney. Here, Clooney plays Lyn Cassady, an infamous ex-Special Ops military officer. He trained under Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) of the New Earth Army, a group of psychic spies determined to help America become the world's first super power with super powers. Cassady refers to himself as a "Jedi warrior", winking at the audience with none other than Obi Wan as his co-star.

    Our tour guide through this absurdity is a journalist based out of Ann Arbor, Michigan: Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor). In an attempt to prove his worth to his wife, his compromised ego has led him to Kuwait. Together, with Cassady, the two are kidnapped by a group of Iraqi soldiers. It soon becomes quite evident that their only defense is, well, Cassady's supposed psychic powers.

    The film's best moments are most certainly the flashback sequences with Bill Django. This isn't new territory for Bridges, but his free-living hippie is still as entertaining as ever. However, as delightfully eccentric as the members of the New Earth Army may be, McGregor's character is written so dreadfully thin that all of the "real time" scenes are a bit of a bore. McGregor is usually good, but here he's completely miscast.

    "The Men Who Stare at Goats" is entertaining until you realize that there isn't much more to it than grown men running into walls. Heslov fails to take a stance with the material - he's attempting to satirize the military, but meanwhile he fully embraces the psychic spies at the head of the picture. The film may have made a brilliant skit on Saturday Night Live, but there's not enough substance here to constitute a feature length effort.
  • shiftyeyeddog
    November 8, 2009
    shiftyeyeddog
    Clooney. McGregor. Bridges.

    Three of my favorite actors, plus a great supporting cast. It's gotta be great, right? But too many times I've seen great ensemble casts come together only to be disappointed by a mediocre film. This time, however, it lived up to my expectations...( read more). The movie does lose a bit of steam in the last half hour or so, but overall it's definitely an entertaining film.
  • DrZeek
    November 7, 2009
    DrZeek
    Bob Wilton: So what you're saying is that... you, are a uh... psychic spy?
    Lyn Cassady: A Jedi warrior.

    A comedy that claims to have more true elements than you would think, about the US military's attempts to train soldiers with psychic powers. The film's lead actors all do...( read more) a good job and the film is frequently funny, despite having a meandering last act.

    Set during wartime in Iraq, a reporter in the Middle East, Bob Wilton played by Ewan McGregor, might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, played by George Clooney, a guy who claims to be a former member of a U.S. special forces unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions. As the two travel through Iraq on a secret mission that Lyn claims to be on, Wilton learns more and more about Lyn's abilities, as we, the audience, are shown flashbacks to Lyn's training as, what is said to be, a Jedi Warrior. In these flashbacks, it is Col. Bill Django, played by Jeff Bridges (in Dude mode) who establishes his non-lethal unit that is looking to end wars by peaceful means, with the solutions involving the use of psychic abilities to take down enemies. Kevin Spacey also stars as a rival to Lyn, wishing to have the kind of abilities that Lyn appears to have.

    Soldier: Sir, what's the practical application for this?

    The main factor that I enjoyed about this film is seeing Clooney, Bridges, and Spacey all playing absurd type characters and as actors, not being afraid to make fun of themselves and let loose. This is all handled without playing things too knowingly or over-the-top, Its handled as if they actually believe in the things that they are doing, not played for laughs, but still being very humorous. McGregor (who I'll always prefer with his natural accent and not this American one) also does a good job at playing the straight man, but gets to have some fun with the physical humor as well.

    Based on a book of the same title and directed by Clooney's producing partner Grant Heslov, the look and tone of the film certainly seems to be well handled. I say "seems," because although there would seem to be satirical elements at play here, I don't think the film did much to spur those kind of thoughts and considerations while watching. Still, the film is made well enough in its flow and placement of flashbacks.

    There are some problems in the final act, as the film's objective isn't entirely clear, with the main plot serving as a road movie with not much of an idea what's at the end of the road. Still, the film manages to be entertaining throughout.

    Enjoyable.

    Bob Wilton: What are you doing?
    Lyn Cassady: [while driving the car] Cloud bursting, it keeps me sharp.
    Lyn Cassady: [clouds over head disappears] and it's gone.
  • Lemure
    November 9, 2009
    Lemure
    When I saw the trailer I thought this was a Coen's film. The first half feels like a Coen's film. Sadly, the second half is pure Hollywood studio fare, and to be honest the whole film is stolen by Kevin Spacey anyway.
  • cenzano38
    November 8, 2009
    cenzano38
    The Men Who Stare At Goats is a funny movie with a great cast. McGregor isn't in near enough movies as far as I'm concerned, and Jeff Bridges is fantastic. As always. Kevin Spacey had his moment, and is still able to help move a movie along in an entertaining fashion. Clooney giv...( read more)es his standard oddball performance that would have worked if the movie hadn't fizzled.

    Men sets a pace that is quite enjoyable and quirky. It doesn't seem like it would be too much to keep up for a couple of hours, but is for this movie. There is a very flat part in the movie toward the end that makes the ending a little harder to get right. You can't do a goofball movie like this and have a more serious part like Men does. You just can't.

    The funny parts are funny. There is some pretty smart stuff under there, and it has a style of humor that I really appreciate. Just off the wall. Clooney does a great job of being someone who is completely crazy, but confident in what he (thinks he) can do. McGregor plays off of Clooney very well. I've absolutely loved Jeff Bridges since The Big Lebowski, and he's entertaining as always here.

    Grant Heslov, the director, has some really great movies to his credit. I don't know what happened here. His latest movie besides this is Leatherheads, and if that were his only movie, I'd understand. But there is a much greater list above that. I'd think he could make Men work all the way through.

    The actors make the movie better than it is, and the movie isn't anywhere near as good as the previews suggest. It's worth watching, but not worth going out of your way to see.
  • absolutionxlive
    November 10, 2009
    absolutionxlive
    Pretty disappointing. The funniest moments were in the trailer
  • valiant66
    November 10, 2009
    valiant66
    WATCH THIS MOVIE FREE http://MoviesWatch.info
    Watch this movie for free for those of you that are short on money at http://MoviesWatch.info But if you can afford it go to the theaters and support the movies
  • 339z
    November 10, 2009
    339z
    wow umn just seen this movie 4 the 1st time n think that this is a good movie 2 watch,.....its got a good cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie....i think that glen morshower, stephen root, robert patrick, stephen lang, kevin spacey, george clooney, ewan mcgregor, jeff ...( read more)bridges, waleed zuaiter play good roles/parts throughout this movie.....i think that the director of this comedy/drama/action/adventure/real-life movie had done a great job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie....i think that the training scene in the flashback when george clooney is telling ewan mcgregor how it all started is really funny as you see a man with a bag of sand hanging of his private parts which is just really funny yet stupid at the sametime....i think that the soundtrack throughout this movie is so brilliant...i think that this is a great movie 4 2009....plus i think that kevin spacey is just so brilliant thorughout this movie as well
  • janeyrebrontehowarth
    November 10, 2009
    janeyrebrontehowarth
    Men stare at wolves.... thats a change!
  • fufa010
    November 10, 2009
    fufa010
    i love george cloony waaw

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Comments

  • alemagico
    November 18, 2008
    alemagico
    I just want to see this film to celebrate the triumph of all my friends for being part of this film. We were on the set of the film on Puerto Rico, were we live, and we did enjoy the time watching the explosives and the neiborghs getting inside the arabian sute to be killed and the destruction of the nicest cars on our island, Chevvrolets and Monteros..it was a waste, cause they could give those cars to us, hehe. And I want to see it too cause my friend Carlos is going to die on that scene of the gasoline arabian store.
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