The Men Who Stare at Goats

The Men Who Stare at Goats is currently streaming in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Philo, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 2,422 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. George Clooney leads a cast with real comic timing. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

The Men Who Stare at Goats arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Men Who Stare at Goats gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. 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 New Earth Army, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions. George Clooney and Ewan McGregor lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2009. The Men Who Stare at Goats earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

The Men Who Stare at Goats is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It does not lean on comparisons to make its case. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. George Clooney's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.