Director/Screenwriter: Adam McKay
Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Alison Pill
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language and some violent images
Genres: History, Political, Comedy/Drama
Release Dates: December 25, 2018 (Theatrical); April 2, 2019 (Disc/Streaming-Hulu)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 66%
As a fan of Adam McKay’s previous work (e.g., The Big Short), I was fairly disappointed in this movie that can’t decide if it wants to be a biopic or a mockumentary. Despite Christian Bale’s as-expected commitment to the role of Dick Cheney, it’s unclear whether we are meant to root for him or hate him or something in between. Through heavy prosthetics and severe gain, Bale is essentially unrecognizable. And, once again, Amy Adams is strong (as Liz Cheney). But, in this case, even very fine actors can’t fix a terrible script.
Grade: C-