The Men Who Stare at Goats

This movie falls into the same category as many that I've seen this year: good, not great. Quirky, offbeat and fitfully amusing, it's a decent showing for director Grant Heslov, long-time producing partner of George Clooney.

The film aims for Coen Brothers-esque twistedness, but falls short. Clooney, as paranormal warrior Lyn Cassady, does his darnedest to ramp up the hilarity, but ultimately the meandering story gets bogged down under its own idiosyncrasies.

One issue is the timeline which spans about thirty years. There is no amount of makeup, fake wigs or lighting (even by the geniuses that light The View, who deftly wash out the deep crevices in the now 108 year-old Barbara Walters...) that can make George Clooney look like a young man in his twenties. Or Jeff Bridges look like a man in his thirties.

Okay, that's niggling complaint. The cast which includes Clooney, Bridges and the dependably smarmy Kevin Spacey has one weak link: Ewan McGregor. Ostensibly cast for the meta inside running joke of "Jedi" references, McGregor seems to be channeling Jason Bateman. If only the filmmakers had decided to hire the real thing instead of McGregor's pale imitation.

Now that might have edged it over to "great."

Then again, maybe not.

Still waiting for the Oscar contenders of 2009 to wow me...