"Stop acting like a f#$k%&g queer!!!"
Inspired by the John Ronson book about the real life attempt by the CIA to initiate a military program to train psychic soldiers called MK-ULTRA, which aimed to accomplish the following list of goals:
1) Substances which will promote illogical thinking and impulsiveness to the point where the recipient would be discredited in public.
2) Substances which increase the efficiency of mentation and perception.
3) Materials which will prevent or counteract the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
4) Materials which will promote the intoxicating effect of alcohol.
5) Materials which will produce the signs and symptoms of recognized diseases in a reversible way so that they may be used for malingering, etc.
6) Materials which will render the induction of hypnosis easier or otherwise enhance its usefulness.
7) Substances which will enhance the ability of individuals to withstand privation, torture and coercion during interrogation and so-called "brain-washing".
8) Materials and physical methods which will produce amnesia for events preceding and during their use.
9) Physical methods of producing shock and confusion over extended periods of time and capable of surreptitious use.
10) Substances which produce physical disablement such as paralysis of the legs, acute anemia, etc.
11) Substances which will produce "pure" euphoria with no subsequent let-down.
12) Substances which alter personality structure in such a way that the tendency of the recipient to become dependent upon another person is enhanced.
13) A material which will cause mental confusion of such a type that the individual under its influence will find it difficult to maintain a fabrication under questioning.
14) Substances which will lower the ambition and general working efficiency of men when administered in undetectable amounts.
15) Substances which promote weakness or distortion of the eyesight or hearing faculties, preferably without permanent effects.
16) A knockout pill which can surreptitiously be administered in drinks, food, cigarettes, as an aerosol, etc., which will be safe to use, provide a maximum of amnesia, and be suitable for use by agent types on an ad hoc basis.
17) A material which can be surreptitiously administered by the above routes and which in very small amounts will make it impossible for a man to perform any physical activity whatsoever.
And the alleged goal to create a 'Manchurian Candidate' through similar methods.
The film takes this all a step further and seeks to answer the question: How ludicrous would this program have become had it not been deactivated in the late sixties or possibly as late as the early seventies after being initiated sometime in the fifties? Confusing how I write it huh? Well, the title has little to nothing to do with the plot, making it more or less a simile for how bizarre the subject matter of the film is, and all the more so because these things were attempted under MK-ULTRA and yet another attempt was made by Lieutenant Colonel Jim Channon to initiate a second program called the First Earth Battalion. It was never formed and you'll see why after seeing the film, which goes into the possibility of how lucrative it'd be had it existed. Because the proposed New Earth Battalion was so similar to MK-ULTRA, the latter can be used as an example. But that program fell under heavy fire through mass public scrutiny following multiple deaths of unwitting experimental subjects from universities who believed they were submitting to new types of drug tests for a couple of bucks. The most prominent death being a doctor.
Anyway, so not to bore you with this historical data, Ewan McGregor plays Ronson's role via journalist Bob Wilton whom after a failed relationship and an interview with one Gus Lacey (Stephen Root) finds himself meeting Lyn 'Skip' Cassady (George Clooney) in Kuwait where Bob wants to get into Iraq via Lyn's 'mission.' What follows is a series of hysterical flashbacks about the hippie commune life at the FEB and its formation by Bill Django (Jeff Bridges).
George Clooney's long haired over confident appearance totally sold the part in all the flashbacks in contrast to his disshelved older self in the Iraqi Desert where he and Ewan McGregor really shine. From being abducted by 'terrorists' to the 'battle' of Ramadi and the secret PSIC base where Kevin Spacey's arrogant character Larry Hooper seems atypical of his regular roles, this movie delivers all the laughs & surprises you may have missed this year.
However it was really the duo of Clooney & McGregor, plus the few appearances by Bridges which made this movie memorable, as was the goat staring experiment with Major Jim Holtz whose minimal role is played perfectly by Glenn Morshower. Stephen Lang's performance as the obsessed General Hopgood could've been better had it been longer, though I suppose an aging General taking on a wall tells you all you need to know about him.
Director Grant Heslov filmed this on location at the New Mexico Military Institute, and Comerio Street in Bayamon Puerto Rico. They both make for convincing Iraqi towns, deserts, and secret bases. As for the montage of all the new age communes Django visits in California, [including my town of Auburn] they were all probably filmed in LA. So considering Heslov's career which includes acting in roles like Dylan Walsh's ill fated sidekick in "Congo" (1995) to co-writing the screenplay for "Good Night, And Good Luck" (2005) with his business partner George Clooney, then I take it his career will blossom from here.
Overall, it was the best comedy of the year which parodies the incompetent CIA, if not just simply dramatize it given their lengthy list of failures and incomprehensible acts of stupidity.
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