MOVIE REVIEW – VICE
From Academy Award winning writer/director Adam McKay (The Big Short) comes the audacious and subversively comedic VICE, an unconventional behind-the-scenes look at former Vice President Dick Cheney’s stealthy rise from Congressional intern to the most powerful man on the planet. Fully inhabiting the role of the highly secretive title character who changed the world in ways few leaders have over the past 50 years is Oscar winner Christian Bale heading an all-star cast that includes Oscar nominee Steve Carell as the affable, yet steely Donald Rumsfeld, Oscar nominee Amy Adams as Cheney’s ambition driven wife, and Oscar winner Sam Rockwell as the malleable George W. Bush.
The movie looks at the character Dick Cheney from teenager to his 70’s and just to confuse us a little, jumps to different stages of his life at different times during the movie. Christian Bale is brilliant as Cheney and the rest of the cast not far behind him.
You may think a movie about an American politician is not your “type of movie” but just this once, trust me. This is a must-see movie over summer. The opening credits tell us that not a lot is known about Cheney and his secrets within the White House but the directors “did our f@-cking best”. This movie is comedic at times, biting and scary at others and on occasion make you angry that people and in fact a country could do the things they do. One scene about Cambodia had me so worked up, but I won’t spoil the moment by telling you about it.
Director Adam McKay is obviously not a fan of Cheney but the way he tells this story is magnificent, part “acting” movie, part documentary. The mix is pure genius with McKay portraying the American political people as amoral and power hungry. He gets his point across wonderfully.
Amy Adams plays Cheney’s wife Lynne. While she gives Cheney an ultimatum early in the movie to give up drinking, coming across as a caring wife, she in reality is as ambitious and scheming as Cheney. Sam Rockwell is also magnificent as George W. Bush.
American politics not your thing? Not going to bother going to see this movie because of that?
You are missing the movie of the year. The Oscars await. Yes, Vice is that good!
P.S. Don’t leave when the credits start. Wait a few minutes as there is a bit of movie extra worth seeing.
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