JEDIS WITH FLOWER POWER AND "MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS"

Haha, well, we’ve all heard a bit of hype about this one, right? I don’t believe in hype, but I must say, I was curious. I mean, George Clooney, Edward Norton, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Bacon… I must admit, one DOES get curious. Common sense alone dictates that this should make for quite an awesome movie – all the actors have proved their abilities as far as comedy is concerned on numerous occasions… The actual result in this case is, however, “mixed”. I’m not saying it’s a bad or boring movie (or why would I review it) but it is definitely DEFINITELY not to everybody’s tastes…
Bob Wilton (Edward Norton) is a reporter that is down on pretty much everything. His wife has run off with his editor, killing his family life and career in one fell swoop. He is (understandably) depressed. He decides to make a drastic change in his life if only to shake things up a bit. And thus heads off to Iraq (story is set in the mid 2000’s – yikes, I actually said that). There, pure chance (or possibly fate) brings him face to face with Lynn Cassidy (George Clooney). Now Lynn is part of a top secret team of soldiers: the New World Army. The New World Army is the result of the US army’s efforts to train “psychic soldiers” – with actual super powers. But the New World Army is not an army in the classical sense. Oh no, lead by Bill Django (Jeff Bridges) they wish to bring peace and respect to earth – think the spirit of the 70’s revived – only have super powers. Now Bob may be depressed but he recognizes a story when he sees it. So he follows Lynn out into the desert on his latest mission. The experience will prove, in a word, life changing.
Now, the only thing that actually got me through this film is my love, nay, obsession with absurd comedy. It’s a very good example of the genre too; a fact I was able to discern even though I was almost dead on my feet when I watched it. I didn’t actually laugh out loud but was genuinely amused by most of the film. But on the other hand my Mom (who was watching it with me) waltzed off in the middle of said film and went to bed – completely uninterested in finding out what might happen in the end (and to be honest at that point it could be absolutely ANYTHING. Go for it if you’re into something experimental, non linear and absurd. Or if you’re a George Clooney or Edward Norton fan. Can’t say fairer than that…