The Men Who Stare at Goats

The Men Who Stare at Goats is based on Jon Ronson's book detailing his journey into the secret military world of the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion. The Battalion was an alleged division that employed New Age techniques and psychic soldiers to fight wars with alternative methods. Ewan MacGregor plays Bob Wilton, a reporter hungry for a life-altering scoop. After his wife leaves him for another man, Wilton heads to Iraq at the onset of the 2003 American invasion. There he meets Lyn Cassady, played by George Clooney who thinks he's in another Coen brothers film. He's not. Cassady proceeds to lead Wilton on a mind-bender of an adventure complete with flashbacks detailing the origins of the Army's foray into psychedelic combat. Any Lebowski fan will suck greedily at the teat of a Jeff Bridges hippie appearance, but alas, this sighting comes up a bit short. Although Bridges is as compelling as ever, you simply do not get enough of him in Goats. MacGregor and Kevin Spacey are watchable and interesting, but I need to wax neurotic about Clooney.
After his ill-fated flirtation with boffo box-office Batman and Robin, Clooney took a powder and plotted his next move. This pause resulted in some of the best performances of his career. O Brother, Where Art Thou? has Clooney almost lampooning his dreamy persona by making some of the most buffoonish expressions ever. He gets screwball comedy funny- he's Cary Grant without all the pesky gay rumors. I must declare emphatically that I do not believe Clooney is a good actor. He has been in the business a long time and worked with the best directors out there, which enables him to avoid looking like a hackety-hack. But Clooney is a holder-backer (not a technical acting term I know, but screw you, it's my blog). He does not commit fully to any role, even the ones he gets nominated for. But he is intelligent, handsome and completely worthy of his insider's moniker, "Gentleman George". I met Clooney once in the early 1990's and if the way he tolerated my hyperhidrosis (sweaty palms) during the handshake was any indication, he is indeed a prince. Clooney learned that his ineffable charm and Irish rapscallion looks would be a good juxtaposition with goofy roles meant for ugly character actors. He also earns some intellectual cred by producing high-minded occasionally political statement films. My Comment has to do the business of being entertained. Are actors and films simply meant to allow us to enjoy ourselves for two hours? I'm not speaking of the difference between Billy Madison and Schindler's List. Most of us know that one is art and one is Spielberg's apology for Always. I am asking, if we know that an actor isn't ready for Shakespeare, but we love to watch him or her, what's so wrong with that? I am a self-professed snob, but I am admittedly tittering over the possibility of an Ocean's 14. This has more to do with the film geek in me imagining the camaraderie between the cast than the desire to look at Pitt, Clooney and Damon in shiny suits. Well, kind of. My point is, sometimes a movie is just a movie and an actor is just there to make us want to watch him. I can still maintain my snobbery and feel that way.