‘The men who were looking fixedly at the goats’: an irregular flavor comedy coeniano and references to ‘The star wars’

Welcome to The men who were looking fixedly at the goats (The Men Who Stare at Goats, 2009), a comedy that continues the footpath of this somewhat absurd humor of which the brothers Coen have made a show along movies like Arizona Baby, The big jump, Oh! Brother, to Be burning hot after reading or The big Lebowski, between others. Not in vain, we are before a movie that is provided with the director, also actor Grant Heslov, who was a co-producer of the Coen in intolerable Cruelty, and a few actors, George Clooney and Jeff Bridges, that are part of the particular universe of the brotherly couple.

If there was small, the history of a group of the North American armed forces, the Army of the New Earth, which he is in charge of facing the American threats across the force of the mind, it is treated by the habitual shamelessness of the persons in charge of Fargo. The interpretations of the share-out, to a step of the most contrary to nature histrionics, also seem to send to those of some full-lenght films of the couple of film makers. George Clooney, in his facet more paródica, is in the same record that Oh! Brother, while Bridges less drogota realizes almost a version and more responsible for his embodiment of The Note in The big Lebowski.

Perhaps the only thing that does not seem inspired by the Coen there is the figure of the journalist interpreted by Ewan McGregor. The roll personified by the protagonist of Trainspotting or Touching the wind it is little more than a simple crutch without too many grace. His trip in the desert iraki along with George Clooney in a somewhat eccentric mission is little more than a mere excuse to chain flash - backs on the past of the warlike monks. The presence of McGregor, more like actor who like personage, is justified by other one of the undoubted and explicit influences of the tape: The star wars. It is curious that the only relevancy personage in the movie that is not a warrior - monk is, not any more not less, that the interpreter who personified the young man Obi Wan-Kenobi of the saga created by George Lucas. The training of these mental and pacifist warriors remembers, saving the clear distances, which the teacher Yoda and Luke Skywalker realized, although in this occasion the orejudo personage is a hippie with the features of Jeff Bridges and his wards are alternative military men with the faces of George Clooney, Kevin Spacey and Stephen Lang.

With all these elements, Heslov directs an irregular movie that there suffers from the descompensado script that Peter Straughan has written taking like a book of Jon Ronson as basic. There are hilarious moments centred mostly on the training of the mental warriors, although the set suffers from absence of real substance. Since it already happened to Peter Straughan in New York for beginners, whose libretto also was taking his signature, the English scriptwriter has more talent to create sketches entertained than to construct a history in strict sense. In this sense, The men who were looking fixedly at the goats it works in certain occasions, although the set does not seem to take us to any place. On the other hand, the irreverent tone with which the tape is selling remains parked when not critical really what tries to be criticized: the North American army. The same way, the absurd humor, although it takes the unavoidable stamp of the brothers Coen, ends up by being more basic enough, accessible and conventional than the creators of es country for old men in his always atypical full-lenght films. In short, an interesting and irregular movie that is enjoyed by medium enthusiasm and forgets to five minutes.

The best thing: The entertaining interpretations of the actors and some truly hilarious sketches.

The worst thing: A slightly frayed and unequal script that does not lead to any place.

Text: Julio Vallejo. Download Family Guy S08E13 Go, Stewie, Go! free