The Men Who Stare at Goats is an off-beat comedy based on Jon Ronson’s non-fiction NY Times best seller of the same name. The film adaptation of the book stars (Academy Award Winner) George Clooney who plays Lynn Cassady, a psychic spy who is part of a top secret experimental branch of the U.S. Military.
This branch of the military, referred to as the New Earth Army teaches recruits to harness their psychic prowess in an attempt to “end war as we know it.” The group’s founder, Bill Django (Oscar Nominee Jeff Bridges) ends up vanishing and Cassady sets off on a mission to find him.
This branch of the military, referred to as the New Earth Army teaches recruits to harness their psychic prowess in an attempt to “end war as we know it.” The group’s founder, Bill Django (Oscar Nominee Jeff Bridges) ends up vanishing and Cassady sets off on a mission to find him.
Intrigued by Cassady’s fantastic tales of how the Army’s secret training has taught him to cultivate psychic abilities into battle skills reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) decides to tag along with Cassady through the Iraqi dessert in attempt to prove to his ex-wife and her new husband who is also his boss that he isn’t boring and frail.
What follows as the two travel across the dessert in search of Bill Django is more than just card tricks and spoon bending. Wilton gets to witness these Jedi-like paranormal demonstrations first hand as Cassady shows him various exercises in physic ability which includes staring at goats until they collapse and die, invisibility, “phasing” (walking through solid walls) and episodes of “cloud bursting.”
Soon enough the duo’s mission takes an unexpected turn when Django is tracked to a training facility run by eccentric hippie and former New Earth Army member Larry Hooper (two-time Oscar® winner Kevin Spacey.) Subsequently Wilton gets caught in the proverbial crossfire of The New Earth Army run by Django and Hooper’s personal renegade militia of super soldiers. Once cornered only way out for Bob and Cassady is to outwit an enemy they weren’t even aware existed.
The Men Who Stare At Goats opens on Novemeber 6th nationwide. Check back here next week for a full review.
Jonnie is a self-proclaimed internet junkie and movie-holic who lives in Dallas, TX. Check out her personal blog: www.thatgirljonnie.blogspot.com