Vice Movie Review

Vice (2018)

Rent Vice on Amazon Video
Written by: Adam McKay
Directed by: Adam McKay
Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Alison Pill, Jesse Plemons, Lily Rabe, Shea Whigham, Tyler Perry
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
The story of Dick Cheney, an unassuming bureaucratic Washington insider, who quietly wielded immense power as Vice President to George W. Bush, reshaping the country and the globe in ways that we still feel today.

Verdict
It's educational and fun, a biopic that's as accurate as can be made with such little information. Cheney rose from nothing to wield great power in Washington while remaining virtually unknown. When gauging this story against reality, it's alarming how much we don't know about the inner workings of politics and who may actually holds power. Cheney's policies have had a long lasting reach. Bale's performance is great. It's more than just Bale in a Cheney suit, he inhabits the character.
Watch it.

Review
Adam McKay directed The Big Short (read my review), and while the subject isn't quite as interesting or as educational, this movie refines the techniques of breaking the fourth wall and cross cutting to make a point introduced in that movie.

Bale delivers a great performance, but I was afraid it would be one where I'm constantly trying to see Bale under the Cheney mask, like Gary Oldman in Churchill, but Bale really captures Cheney and the mannerisms. The feeling of wanting to find Bale quickly subsides. It also helps that the movie is going inside politics with an amazing arc about a college dropout who becomes arguably the most powerful man in America.

This cuts back and forth in Cheney's life, first opening with a clip of drunk Cheney driving the the '60s to Cheney during 9-11. The movie refrains from spelling it out, but it's saying look at what this guy used to be.

There's a voice over throughout the movie and that plot device has an amazing twist towards the end. It's one of those things that can't be done again because another movie would rightfully be accused of copying.

Cheney saw opportunity in 9-11 and managed to change the course of history with most people oblivious. Cheney was able to do this because he worked out a deal with George W. Bush. Bush is played well by Sam Rockwell, portrayed as the least qualified Bush progeny to run for office while only wanting to prove himself to his father. It's funny how politics shakes out, and that's a point the movie makes a few times.

This movie has a lot of style, inserting vintage shots or vintage-esque shots with some slick editing. This style will likely feel dated in a few years, but it's done well and will be an example of the style from the time. The style is similar to The Big Short, but more refined. The Big Short got caught up in over explaining because it had Margot Robbie talking. Vice is more restrained and all for the better.

Cheney rises through the ranks of politics, from the start looking to get ahead. We see him become more wily. Cheney is responsible for repealing the Fairness Doctrine which required news stations to present both sides of issues related to national importance. That, like so much of the movie is pertinent to today's political landscape.

I love that this movie ends early with a happy ending. Cheney left politics forever and we even see the credits roll before the movie pulls that back. We know it's a lie as the narrator piles on, but I wasn't sure what the movie was going to do with it. It's a neat gimmick. Cheney left politics but came back for W. Bush.

This also uses Cheney's frequent heart attacks to an almost comedic effect. How many does he have? Cheney takes it much calmer than we ever see in another movie.

 

Cheney was an avid fisherman and fishing is cross cut between Bush courting Cheney for VP. Bush took the bait and Cheney got him hook, line, and sinker. Cheney got whatever he want to join the team. Cheney solid it as taking the "mundane tasks, but Cheney was ahead of Bush in everything but the title.
Cheney got intelligence reports earlier, he had an office in the House, two in the Senate, one in the Pentagon, and a conference room in the CIA. Let's assume that's true... it's wild. Cheney was stacked and engineered the war on Iraq. I love a good conspiracy story and this provides more than a few. Cheney's former company, Halliburton got a billion dollar contract from the White House as the sole bidder and Cheney was getting paid by them while in the White House. This also purports that Cheney indirectly engineered the rise of terror cells.

The facts as presented, and what we know are wild. The performances are great, and the style makes a movie that could get mired in boring politics a lot of fun.