IMDb > The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
The Men Who Stare at Goats
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The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) More at IMDbPro »

Photos (see all 39 | slideshow) Videos (see all 19)
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions.
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Clip: I see a tin mug
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Interview: Ewen Mc Gregor "On the cast"
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Paranormal Goats TV spot teaser
The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009) -- Trailer for this comedy about psychic soldiers

Overview

User Rating:
7.1/10   2,860 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?

Up 225% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.

Director:

Grant Heslov

Writers:

Peter Straughan (screenplay)
Jon Ronson (book)

Contact:

View company contact information for The Men Who Stare at Goats on IMDbPro.

Release Date:

6 November 2009 (USA) more

Genre:

Comedy | War more

Tagline:

No goats. No glory.

Plot:

A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions. full summary | add synopsis

NewsDesk:
(456 articles)

Box Office: 2012 Pirates on a Dead Man's Chest
 (From Cinematical. 11 November 2009, 5:15 PM, PST)

Celebrate Veteran’s Day with a War Movie Overload
 (From FilmSchoolRejects. 11 November 2009, 2:33 PM, PST)

User Comments:

Brilliant, quirky, laugh out load funny and believe it or not based on a lot of truth!! more (43 total)

US Showtimes:

The Bridge: Cinema de lux 12:15pm | 2:05 | 2:35 | 4:55 | 7:15 | 7:45 | 9:35 | 10:05 | 12:15 | 2:35 | 4:55 | 7:15 | 9:35 (personalize) more


Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Additional Details

MPAA:

Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity.

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color (DeLuxe)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1 more

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45563) | Ireland:15A | Finland:K-13 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | Canada:PG (British Columbia)

Company:

BBC Films more


Fun Stuff

Trivia:

Lyn Cassady compares his work to being a "Jedi Warrior". Ewan McGregor played a Jedi in the Star Wars prequels. more

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: After stopping the goat's heart the first time, the video monitor shows the goat laying on its side still breathing. more

Quotes:

Larry Hooper: [from trailer] Lieutenant Colonel Django used funds from the project's black budget to procure prostitutes...
Bill Django: That's a lie!
Larry Hooper: ...and to get drugs for himself and his men.
Bill Django: That... well, the hooker thing is definitely a lie.
more

Movie Connections:

Features "Today" (1952) more

Soundtrack:

Oudistic more


FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
23 out of 43 people found the following comment useful.
Brilliant, quirky, laugh out load funny and believe it or not based on a lot of truth!!, 27 October 2009
10/10
Author: irie121 from United Kingdom

We were lucky enough to be invited to a LoveFilm preview screening of this new film in London last night and more unusually to get the unique chance as a movie goer to interact with the British author Jon Ronson, on whose book the film is based. The film follows a reporter, Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), who stumbles onto the story of a lifetime when quite by chance he meets a self confessed Special Forces Operator, Lyn Cassady (George Clooney)in a Kuwait hotel. As they embark on a new mission, Lyn reveals his twenty-year involvement in a Top Secret, black ops military unit and shares details of their activities, each more bizarre than the last (including staring at goats).

This is a wonderfully funny film, with quirky characters that develop as the story unfolds, characters that will have you laughing out loud and as the credits begin to roll as you get up from your seat at the end of the film you will leave the cinema still talking about the story on your way home.

After watching the film you would certainly have questions you would love to ask were you to have the chance - well we had that chance and did just that. Jon Ronson took questions from the floor and the first was how much of the story is based on fact - he said that the US Military under the support of several President's including Ronald Regan received significant funding to develop a psychokinetic fighting force that could be used against America's enemies using skills such as Remote Viewing and the power of the human mind to eliminate the other side. Where did the name for the book come from? Jon told us that his wife Elaine, came up with the title The Men who Stare at Goats as they were chatting about the story over a bottle of wine. Was it true that he lived next door to Naomi Campbell? This was true, he said, they were neighbours in a quiet London street and that Naomi had mentioned it during one of those Red Carpet interview's at the film's recent premier. In the film, Jon Ronson's part as the reporter is played by Ewan McGregor - so what you are watching is the author's own personal take on the story. What came out of the questions from the audience was that the US Military actually took this psychic weapon idea seriously enough that they secured significant funding for this off the wall program so to conclude it makes you realise just how crazy the people that govern us truly are!

Go see it - on general release November 6th 2009.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Animal Violence / Nudity? lmabee
that was sweet! codlee345
First Earth Battalion Field Manual haladay
song help dchrismer
means nothing to the film, but why a FV432 apc? sp017
Waste of a great cast rowejimf
more

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