'What would happen if Hippies were in charge of the United States Army?'

From 'Goats' boasts New Age war tactics :

 In the new film, “Men Who Stare at Goats,” director Grant Heslov looks at what America's military force would be if it were controlled by New Age tactics rather than violent means.

The film starts with reporter Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor) looking for a new way to spice up his life. He then encounters Sgt. Lyn Cassady (George Clooney), a retired member of the now defunked New Age Army. Wilton accompanies Cassady across Iraqi lines on a mysterious mission.

This movie's comedy scheme is similar to the Persian sand that Wilton and Cassady trek across: dry and bland. Other than unique moments of hilarity, like when Cassady refers to the New Age Army as a company of Jedi Masters from “Star Wars” (to which McGregor, Obi-Wan Kenobi himself, acts as if he has never heard of the ways of the Force), the laughs in this film are few and far between.

The film is full of drug and hippie one liners, most of which have already been done on “South Park,” and the plot itself jumps from one scene to another with such abruptness that only those who have taken their Adderall would be able to follow the movie completely.


From 'The Men Who Stare at Goats': Two Hours Worth Staring At :

If you're never one to pass up a good History Channel special on rumored/potential military applications of remote viewing, the psychic ability to locate long-range, unseen targets, then this George Clooney vehicle, inspired by Jon Ronson's best-selling non-fiction book about the U.S. Government's exploration into paranormal combat methods, is for you. But even if you aren't familiar with the Stanford Research Institute or the Stargate Project, you will enjoy this wacky inspirational, morality tale of a movie.

A former member of the New Earth Army, a 1970/80s secret legion of New Age, psychic "warrior monks," Lyn Cassady (George Clooney) is on a mission to find the unit's former leader, Bill Django (Jeff Bridges). Joined by a mid-market reporter, Bob Wilton (Ewan McGregor), the two take off through the Iraqi desert on a hilarious journey, full of pitfalls and pit stops, in which he tutors the journalist in the ways of the "Jedi Warriors." (Yes, you read that right.)