Viewed in
2009
Premise
Based on the book of the same title, Ewan McGregor plays a journalist who tags along an American contractor (George Clooney) in 2003 Iraq. He discovers that Clooney used to be secret psychic soldier (known as Jedi warriors).
Who should watch
Fans of the cast.
Thoughts
A very funny film.
I thoroughly enjoyed the performances by Clooney as the eccentric out-of-commission solder, McGregor as the straight man, Jeff Bridges as Clooney's stoned out mentor, and Kevin Spacey as a fellow student determined to undermine everything.
Overall, there was a good blend of broad, absurd, and dark comedy throughout the film, and I never felt like there was ever a letdown of laughs.
Oddly enough, the film felt longer than it was, which is rarely a good thing in a movie. This was due to the film's plausibility, and how much the viewer is willing to accept. I never read the book, which is a non-fictional account of that department. While I do not doubt some of the truth in the flashback scenes, the whole story was still very hard for me to believe, and thus care about the story.
While the performances were excellent, they were not much of a stretch for any of the actors, especially Bridges (channeling his inner 'The Dude') and Spacey.
I had a blast, thanks to the wonderful performances. However, my inability to take the film seriously prevents this from being a great film.
What I would change
Nothing.
Personal
I'm sure it was intentional, but it was very funny every time Clooney's character explained to McGregor's character what it was like to be a 'Jedi warrior'.
