Review of Vice (2018) by Markhreviews — 01 Jan 2019

The most telling moment in “Vice” occurs early on. After landing an internship in Congress and falling under the spell of Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell), Dick Cheney (Christian Bale) plaintively inquires of his mentor, “… but what do we believe?” The implication that Cheney has no belief system of his own is jarring; that Rumsfeld’s response is to laugh hysterically and slam the door in Cheney’s face is even more devastating. We are forewarned that this is a film about gaining and using power.

The film follows the ascent of Dick Cheney from his low point in 1963 – a Yale dropout who has dissolved into a drunken laborer stringing telephone wire in Wyoming. In short order, Cheney is whipped into shape by his wife Lynne (Amy Adams). After securing his internship, Cheney works himself into positions in the Nixon and Ford administrations. He then serves five terms as Wyoming’s single congressman (1979-1989) before becoming Secretary of Defense for George H.W. Bush (1989-1993) and eventually Vice President under George W. Bush.

What’s absent from this film is any theory, or even speculation, about what motivates Cheney and his drive for power. By the time, Cheney has become Secretary of Defense, he has fully embraced a Hobbesian world view – all people are selfish and self-serving, best ruled by an absolute monarch (which explains his obsession with “the unitary executive”). But there’s no real discussion about how he arrived at this perspective. After informing the viewer in the opening credits that, because of Cheney’s secretive nature, the film is filled with speculation, writer/director Adam McKay fails to address Cheney’s internal motivation in any meaningful way. That Cheney is so unapologetic for his decisions in the film’s final scene makes this lack of exploration a glaring oversight.

“Vice” is a scathing take-down of the man who brought us the war in Iraq. McKay’s further explanation of how incestuously the core characters are intertwined (Antonin Scalia, Rumsfeld’s evolving roles) is illuminating. And along the way, there are theatrical flourishes that make this movie soar. The alternative life scenario for Cheney in the middle of film, accompanied by its own closing credits is priceless. Jesse Plemmons (excellent in the 2015 installment of the “Fargo” TV series) as narrator adds exposition and acerbic commentary that provide impetus to the story. For those who loved the rhythm and texture of “The Big Short” (one of McKay’s earlier writer/director efforts), there are some similarly inspired digressions, although none rise to the excellence of Margot Robbie in a bubble bath, drinking champagne and explaining the financial underpinnings of subprime mortgages.

The cast is first-rate, although many seem to have been cast primarily for their visual similarity to the person they portray. Bale, as usual, fully immerses in his character, taking on an eerie physical similarity to Cheney and spot-on delivery of Cheney’s speech pattern. Carell’s Rumsfeld is convincingly charming, profane and amoral. Sam Rockwell (George W. Bush) is simply amazing – dynamically conveying W’s impulsive, erratic, “oh, wow!” world view. Tyler Perry as Colin Powell is the only truly curious choice.

One wonders about the intended audience for “Vice.” Most adults have a general familiarity with Cheney. Those who already hold W. and Cheney in disdain will simply have their views reinforced – although some of the details in this movie may cause them to foam at the mouth. The film is so brutally unflattering that it will alienate those on the political right. However, in a world of “fake news” and “alternative facts,” it’s nice to explore characters who can be so transparently, unabashedly wrong.