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The Men Who Stare at Goats

Play trailer 2:16 Poster for The Men Who Stare at Goats R 2009 1h 33m Comedy Play Trailer Watchlist
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51% Tomatometer 213 Reviews 39% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Struggling reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) gets the scoop of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), who claims to be from a unit of psychic soldiers who have been reactivated for duty. Intrigued by Cassady's assertions that they can walk through walls and kill goats by fixed gazes, Wilton follows him on a dangerous, top-secret mission across Iraq to find the brigade's founder, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges).
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The Men Who Stare at Goats

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Critics Consensus

Though The Men Who Stare at Goats is a mostly entertaining, farcical glimpse of men at war, some may find its satire and dark humor less than edgy.

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Critics Reviews

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Ed Koch The Atlantic Save your money and, more important, your precious time. Jan 17, 2018 Full Review Rafer Guzman Newsday All in all, Goats would have been groaningly familiar, even back in the 1960s. Jul 6, 2010 Full Review Nick Schager Lessons of Darkness A series of barely tethered surrealistic shenanigans perpetrated by coasting A-listers. Rated: C- Mar 30, 2010 Full Review Michael Leader Den of Geek Misgivings about its conclusion aside, it feels like it knows its place in the world, tipping the hat to both the book and a previous Channel 4 documentary for their more factual takes on the subject, while revelling in the barminess of the whole thing. Rated: 4/5 May 7, 2024 Full Review Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review It contains enough absurdist wit rooted in the paranormal to make it an offbeat farce. What it doesn’t have is substance. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 30, 2023 Full Review Mike Massie Gone With The Twins There are lots of introductions and plenty of set up, but viewers are left in the dark through most of the conflict. Rated: 6/10 Nov 29, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Emma C Ugh the biggest load of rubbish I think I have ever seen! What a complete waste of time - they should have donated the money to charity rather than waste it making this utter twaddle!! Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/28/25 Full Review D P No... uh uh... just no. I feel like Ewan McGregor was casted just to go along with all the Jedi jokes. That won't suffice unfortunately. I'm sure someone thought this was a worthy story to tell, but I thought it was hard to break into Hollywood. I thought only the best talent and the best ideas made it through. Yet a whole bunch of untalented people are getting all of these vanity projects funded??? What a joke. Rated 1 out of 5 stars 08/12/25 Full Review Audience Member Amazing homage to a wonderful book I really question the taste of anyone who doesn't enjoy this Rated 5 out of 5 stars 08/10/25 Full Review Brad S. R One of the longest hour-and-a-half watches I can remember. Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 03/20/25 Full Review Nola H Although this film is seriously weird, it is an extremely interesting genre, and knowing there are even moderate grains of truth to what went on more than makes up for composite, fictionalised characters. Geoff Bridges and George Clooney are seriously brilliant in their roles. Ewan McGregor does a great job too. I would say just suspend judgement, watch and think, and whether you “buy it” or not, you will be both entertained and left wondering what the heck really DOES go on behind the scenes at times. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/16/25 Full Review Ela R You either get it or you don't. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/05/25 Full Review Read all reviews
The Men Who Stare at Goats

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Cast & Crew

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Grant Heslov

Director

George Clooney

Lyn Cassady

Jeff Bridges

Bill Django

Ewan McGregor

Bob Wilton

Kevin Spacey

Larry Hooper

Robert Patrick

Todd Nixon

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The Men Who Stare at Goats

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The Men Who Stare at Goats

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Movie Info

Synopsis Struggling reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) gets the scoop of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), who claims to be from a unit of psychic soldiers who have been reactivated for duty. Intrigued by Cassady's assertions that they can walk through walls and kill goats by fixed gazes, Wilton follows him on a dangerous, top-secret mission across Iraq to find the brigade's founder, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges).
Director
Grant Heslov
Producer
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Paul Lister
Screenwriter
Peter Straughan
Distributor
Overture Films
Production Co
Smoke House, Paul Lister
Rating
R (Language|Brief Nudity|Some Drug Content)
Genre
Comedy
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Nov 6, 2009, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Mar 6, 2012
Box Office (Gross USA)
$32.4M
Runtime
1h 33m
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