We’ve been greatly anticipating Grant Heslov’s George Clooney starrer, “Men Who Stare At Goats.” Playing at this year’s Venice and Toronto film festivals, the dark comedy stars the likes of Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey and centers on a journalist’s (McGregor) partnership with an ex-solider(Clooney) as they look to uncover the government’s development of “Warrior Monks,” a legion of psychic powered soldiers.
We’ll try to not use the term Coen-esque because it doesn’t seem that screwball-y or quirky (not to mention, it’s facile and overused), but there are some similar shades there. Jeff Bridges as a hippie-like teacher who helps these guys kill and maim people with “Jedi mindtricks” seems pretty damn funny. It definitely looks pretty interesting and we’re excited for it. The use of Boston’s “More Than A Feeling,” in this trailer is pretty humorous. Here’s the very long synopsis.
In this quirky dark comedy inspired by a real life story you will hardly believe is actually true, astonishing revelations about a top-secret wing of the U.S. military come to light when a reporter encounters an enigmatic Special Forces operator on a mind-boggling mission. Reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) is in search of his next big story when he encounters Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a shadowy figure who claims to be part of an experimental U.S. military unit. According to Cassady, the New Earth Army is changing the way wars are fought. A legion of “Warrior Monks” with unparalleled psychic powers can read the enemy’s thoughts, pass through solid walls, and even kill a goat simply by staring at it. Now, the program’s founder, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges), has gone missing and Cassady’s mission is to find him.
Intrigued by his new acquaintance’s far-fetched stories, Bob impulsively decides to accompany him on the search. When the pair tracks Django to a clandestine training camp run by renegade psychic Larry Hooper (Kevin Spacey), the reporter is trapped in the middle of a grudge match between the forces of Django’s New Earth Army and Hooper’s personal militia of super soldiers. In order to survive this wild adventure, Bob will have to outwit an enemy he never thought possible. The Men Who Stare at Goats was inspired by Jon Ronson’s non-fiction bestseller of the same name, an eye-opening and often hilarious exploration of the government’s attempts to harness paranormal abilities to combat its enemies.
Director Grant Heslov wrote, “Good Night, and Good Luck” which George Clooney starred in and directed and earlier this year the duo brought their production company, Smokehouse Pictures, from Warner Brothers to Sony. As previously reported, the film will hit theaters on November 6 via Overture pictures. [Apple]