THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
US, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
George Clooney, Ewan Mc Gregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Stephen Root, Stephen Lang.
Directed by Grant Heslov.
Now this has to be one of the most curious titles for a film. But, in fact, that is what it is about – military men who believe that they can stare at goats, getting them to fall down by sheer will and mental telepathy! And, instead of being a fiction based on a fiction, the film is a fiction based on actual characters and events.
There is a lot of talk about Paranormal Activity in 2009 because of the box-office success of a small-budget, Blair Witch type project, of this name. The United States seems to be a breeding ground for devotees of paranormal activity.
Apparently, some decades ago, a military officer put forward proposals to investigate how paranormal activities and control could be developed as weapons. He is said to have believed that he could pass through a solid wall (though he didn't) and this is how the films starts (failure) and ends (success!).
Who are these men? First of all, young journalist facing hard times in a local paper, interviews a veteran who tells him about these matters. Journalist gets transferred to Iraq and, while waiting in Kuwait, meets the alleged honcho of the researches. The journalist is played by Ewan Mc Gregor with just the right mixture of curiosity and hero-worship – which could set him on the path of becoming a true believer. The paranormal guru is played by George Clooney, using a blend of deadpan and charm to make the implausible and impossible seem, at least momentarily, plausible and possible. And he has some deadpan and charm dialogue to match. An intriguing comic performance.
While travelling through the Iraq deserts, the journalist gets to hear about the inspiration for this secret military movement, a character who behaved like the Big Lebowski before the Big Lebowski was thought of. And, since, he is played by Jeff Bridges, he even looks and sounds like the Big Lebowski. Bridges obviously enjoys playing this type of American weird – and has the chance to be fired on by his troops in Vietnam, go through all kinds of New Age therapies, and can be seen, earnest in his beliefs, training the men to be paranormal. The other principal character is a rigid-minded, narrow-minded, petty and jealous officer who dobs in bad behaviour to superiors and smugly gets promoted. Kevin Spacey does this role very well.
It's all more than a bit idiotic, especially since some of these things really happened and allegedly sensible warriors believed in them. Direction is by Clooney's production partner, Grant Heslov. Together they made the much more serious, Good Night and Good Luck. This tale is one of bad luck and good night. But, it is always bemusingly amusing.
1.The title and its tone, expectations? The opening, the military man running at the wall? The absurdity?
2.The US at war, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan – a satiric background of war? The background of such paranormal experiments for use in warfare?
3.Michigan, the town, Ann Arbor, the newspapers, interviewees? Bob’s ordinary life? The interview with the eccentric man?
4.The Kuwait hotels, the Iraqi desert, the roads, the US camps? The musical score?
5.Bob’s voice-over, his life, in Michigan, his work, devotion, his wife, her relationship with the editor, the separation? Seeing himself as a loser? Looking for stories? The interview with the eccentric, the genuine story, the psychological background, the role of the mind? The interviewee and his alleged control of the guinea pigs? Not wanting them to die, his mother intervening? His mentioning Lyn? The tone of the narrative through this interview?
6.Bob, upset at home, arranging to go to Iraq, staying in Kuwait, his being shunned by the journalists, his encountering Lyn Cassady, Lyn reading the paper, Bob starting to talk, the interrogation, the eye doodle, the sign for Lyn?
7.Lyn, type, his eyes and intensity, the use of his mind, staring? His explanations of his experience, mind control, the universe, signs? A madness? Bob and his reaction? George Clooney’s comic style as Lyn?
8.The story of Bill, Jeff Bridges in the Big Lebowski style? His background, career, Vietnam, the attempt to shoot the target, the men not shooting, the reflections on why they would not shoot, firing above the target? The recovery? The target, the men firing back? The essence of invisibility, what people notice – Lyn asking Bob what he had noticed in the hotel room, Bob not noticing things? Bill’s return from Vietnam, the collage of his changing life, the names of all the centres that he went to, the New Age types of treatment, therapy? Hippie style, his look, hot tubs, meditating, martial arts? His return to the army, impressing them? The army allowing him to train candidates? The meetings, his budget, his secret army, his character and interaction with his recruits?
9.Lyn, his appearance, long hair? His life, meeting Bill, being chosen? The lectures? The dance, Bill urging him to let go? The issue of mindreading and knowing what was in the drawer? Larry and his jealousy? Bob listening, dumbfounded, his comments?
10.The introduction to Larry, his meanness, insulting people, wanting to damage people, the recruit, LSD, his running naked, killing himself? The hearing, Larry and his lies, Bill being let go? Bill’s answers – and taking responsibility?
11.Lyn and Bob in the desert, driving, Bob listening, Lyn and his meditation on the top of the car, the sun, the universe? His theories, energy? His fighting, the flopping down? The plastic tool and the damage it could do? The sudden crash? The roll of the clouds, Bob trying to mind-change them and disperse them?
12.Wandering the desert, lost, recounting the memories, interpreting their meanings, Lyn interpreting the signs that Bob should be with him, fate and destiny?
13.Encountering the camp, the irony of Larry being in charge, his exploiting Bill’s training, Bill present, working, the expectations, wanting to use the techniques? The confrontations and the humiliation of Larry?
14.Bill, his being sent away, Lyn and the passing on of the mission to Bob? Bob as the mission?
15.Bob’s return home, separating from his wife, writing his articles, his beliefs – and his finally running through the wall?
16.Catch- 22, MASH, the satires on war? The background of the Bush administration and the introduction of George Bush – associating him with this kind of lunacy? The visuals and symbols of the episode with the goat?
