The name fits, and the film sure does wear it well. The Men Who Stare at Goats – it’s a vague title and reminds me of my moviegoing experience. I was the girl who stared at the screen, unsure whether I should take it all seriously or whether I should enjoy the chuckles that inevitably are induced by megastars George Clooney and Ewan McGregor, who are both charisma incarnate.

But I went with it, taking it for what I thought it was: a highly fictitious comedy with a political conscience and a star-studded cast.

Well, I was right on the nose about all but one thing. It’s not made-up, at least not entirely. Inspired by Jon Ronson’s non-fiction best seller of the same name, The Men Who Stare at Goats chronicles journalist Bob Wilton (McGregor) as he makes a last ditch effort to win back his cheating wife by traveling to the Middle East as a war reporter.

Hoping to find the story of his career in the battlefield, Wilton has a chance encounter with Lyn Cassady (Clooney), a dark figure who becomes the focal point of his entire stay and story. As it turns out, Cassady was a part of an experimental U.S. military unit known as the New Earth Army.

These “Warrior Monks” were trained to hone their psychic powers. The men could pass through walls and even kill a goat by staring at it. The program’s founder, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), is MIA, and Cassady is determined to find him. Recognizing an amazing story that has yet to reach the American public, Wilton impulsively makes the decision to accompany Cassady as he finds Django at a secret training camp under the ranks of psycho psychic Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey).

The wild adventure translates into an even wilder story. Unfortunately, no media outlet seems interested in running it. Finally, with this film, the men who read minds and stare at goats have been revealed.

The film is an enjoyable ride with humorous writing and enigmatic performances. However, the plot is a bit jumbled and unfocused, and oftentimes I found myself concentrating too much on the film’s believability factor rather than giving in to the silver screen magic.

But it’s a story that, because it really happened, makes for a fascinating film. The actors charm their way throughout, and director Grant Heslov has an eye for telling a fluid, comedic story, even if it’s just a story about grown men running into walls.

Grade: B



The Men Who Stare at Goats releases in theaters Nov. 6.