THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (USA/UK 2009) **
Directed by Grant Heslov

Based on the book of the same title by Jon Ronson, THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS begins with the words “More of this is true than you would believe” splashed on the screen.  What is therefore anticipated from the audience would be film with a quirky story based on true facts but with situations that are highly credulous.

The latter part is dished out by director Grant Heslov in his first full length directorial debut.  (He has made award winning shorts prior.) But Heslov tells his tale with dead-pan humor as well – nonstop from start to finish – with the final effect of offsetting what reality might exist in the story.  Worst still, the laughs are very few and far between.  Heslov should take a lesson or two on the art of dead-pan comedy from master Finnish director Aki Kaurasmaki (DRIFTING CLOUDS, LENINGRAD COWBOYS GO AMERICA).

The film follows a reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGRegor with an odd American accent) who decides to show his bravado by undertaking an Iraq war assignment.  A chance meeting with Lyn (George Clooney), a special forces unit agent leads to the two becoming odd buddies with a war adventure involving shoot-outs and psychic fighting-arts, which Lyn is specially trained in.  Bob intends to expose the existence and success/failure of the psychic military unit and hence this story. 

It is clear to see what drew George Clooney to this project as he seems fond of films that attack an American entity (GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK, MICHAEL CLAYTON) but not taking down the whole American system. 

The film can be divided into 3 parts – Bob’s personal story; his adventures with Lyn and the story of the psychic unit.  Though the script by Peter Straughan tells the tale chronologically, his inter-cutting of the parts of the story results in the film having a disjointed feel.  It is clear from the start to see where the film is heading.  Even the surprise bit at the end (which will not be revealed in the review) comes off as predictable.

THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS is a film with an intriguing plot in which a comedic deadpan approach seems the best way of entertaining and getting the message across.  Unfortunately, the jokes fall flat (most evident in the Kevin Spacey’s extended dialogue sequence) and intriguing becomes boring.  Apparently, the goats are not the only ones put to sleep by the psychic forces unit.