Logan Sork Film Reviews
Vice
The United States Government has faced its fair share of controversies with every generation. No matter who is president or what party is in control, there will always be some kind of controversial decisions that will affront certain groups of people. Yet there is one man who has had his fair share of influence in the US government for many interchanging administrations- Dick Cheney. Up until recent years, the amount of influence that Cheney had in Washington from his starting years in the 1970’s to his later years in the early 2000’s was never really made clear. With Vice, Writer/ Director Adam McKay looks to uncover the true power that Cheney had in influencing the choices that changed the course of US history as we know it. And while the filmmaking isn’t as sophisticated as one would hope, Vice delivers powerhouse performances from it’s fantastic cast and tells a poignant story in how power can be found in the unlikeliest of places- and how it can result in some dramatic changes for everyone around the world.
Vice is written and directed by Adam McKay and stars Christian Bale as Dick Cheney. The film explores the role that Cheney played in the United States government and the impact that it had on US history. We follow Cheney from his early years as a drunk college dropout, where his wife Lynne (Amy Adams) forces him to change. This spur his path to Washington where he comes into contact with Chief of Staff Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell), who takes Cheney under his wing and spurs his desire for more power. As Cheney’s position in Washington continues to grow, so does his desire to make larger decisions to see the true extent of his power. This culminates in the election of George W. Bush (Sam Rockwell), who makes Cheney his Vice. It is in this relatively overlooked position that Cheney truly shows his desire for power, as he manipulates everyone around him to change the situation as he sees fit.
No matter your political feelings toward the subject matter, one simply cannot overlook that stellar performances found in this film. Christian Bale delivers what might be the best performance I’ve ever seen from his career, as he delivers a power hungry, yet understated Dick Cheney. There is also of course the dramatic body change that Bale underwent to play the role, adding further praise to his already fantastic acting. Amy Adams is also excellent as Lynne Cheney, who acts as a stern, almost Lady Macbeth, guide to Cheney. Other standouts include Steve Carell and Sam Rockwell, who steal every scene they are in. There is not a single performance in Vice that feels like a performance, all actors on screen truly become the people they are playing. Praise must also be given to the excellent hair and makeup department, who were just as integral to creating the characters as the actors portraying them.
The film also has some interesting ideas about how the largest amount of power is often found in the smallest places. This is seen in several moments throughout the film, where decisions that change the course of not only the United States but the entire world, are made in small rooms between two or three people. The film makes use of brilliant juxtaposition of scenes through some imaginative editing to truly bring home its point by shocking the audience. And while this technique may seem unsophisticated, so are the players involved in the decision making. The film also makes a point by warning everyone to look for power in the one place no one would expect it, because most of the time- the power will be found there.
While the film has some strong points and some fantastic performances, there are some elements of the film that aren’t as refined. Adam McKay’s directing is the exact opposite of subtle, and while there are sometimes where I did enjoy his style, I feel the film would’ve benefitted from more subtle direction. There are moments where the scene will cut away to something referenced earlier, to remind the audience of its importance. While I understand what McKay was going for, it just didn’t work for me. There is also a problem in the way the film’s story is told through a Non-linear fashion. There are some stories where I feel they would’ve been more impactful if told in the traditional way, and this is one of those stories.
While Vice could lose itself to its unsophisticated approach to direction ad story, it is saved by some amazing performances and some poignant ideas about how relatively unknown people can harbor insane amounts of power. This is a film that I think every American citizen should watch. We as a nation tend to think we can solve problems by simply getting rid of who appears to be in charge. In reality however, the problems run much deeper than they appear, and can sometimes be found in the unlikeliest of places.
8/10