Vice (2018)

This film highlights the life of the largely unknown former vice-president Dick Cheney (an unrecognizable Christian Bale) who comes from what is likely a poor background in Wyoming. It isn't until the love of his life, Lynne (Amy Adams) whips his drunken ass into shape that he finally has some motivation to do something with his life and that he certainly does. He is the youngest chief of staff under President Ford, then State Representative of Wyoming for ten years before becoming Secretary of Defense under the first Bush and then joins the private sector earning vast amounts of money for an oil company. He initially doesn't want to take George W. Bush's (Sam Rockwell's) offer of being the Vice President as it is a thankless job but he manages to persuade George that he wants far more responsibility and along with his lawyer, unearths the doctrine which will give the President absolute power and can make whatever he says law and legal solely because he is President. And after 9/11, he conjures Al Quada in Iraq mainly because he wants Saddam Hussein out of power so the American public is lied to. After accidentally and foolishly shooting a man (fortunately not fatally) he doesn't apologize for being an idiot. Instead, the victim apologizes to the Cheneys for what they've had to deal with.
Now, Cheney tries to be a family man and he does love his daughters dearly, including Mary (Alison Pill, great in a small role) and while he doesn't have a huge problem with her homosexuality, it isn't something he's proud of and will toss her under the bus if it helps him get more power. Ultimately, he's not a Republican, he's for advancing his own agenda and making millions.
The film is a daring portrayal of a man so close to the presidency but doesn't seem to care much about the truth or kind ways others should be treated, torturing others most of whom likely don't deserve it. It is a jarring scene when the Cheney's loving family dinner is interrupted by bombing Iraq. Imagine how it would have been for those innocent civilians in Iraq meaning a death they never deserved all because he wanted one man dead.
The film also has an interesting narrator, Jesse Plemons, who knows so much about this man. I won't tell you how, but that was actually the most jarring and shocking moment of the film, the one that made me gasp.
While the film covers a lot, probably too much, it is nevertheless a great film with great performances including a good Steve Carell as Donald Rumsfeld and a very good Tyler Perry as Colin Powell (a sentence that I'd never thought I'd write). Adams is great as the driving force behind her husband and relishes playing such an unlikable character, scolding other women for burning their bras and telling her daughters that once power is achieved, no one will ever stop trying to take it away from you. Real kind and upbeat people, if you ask me. Still, the imagery of fishing scenes mixed in with other current events is genius and the film is very interesting to watch. I would hardly call it a comedy as there are only about three funny moments scattered throughout but it is a film worth seeing nevertheless and it will you terrified at how absolute the President's power can be. These checks and balances were written for a reason and we can never forget that there existence is a help not a hindrance. Grade: B+