What we flagged
View all categories
Netflix
Netflix Standard with Ads
Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel
Rent or buy on
Apple TV Store
Amazon Video
Google Play Movies
YouTube
Fetch TV
Our take
The Men Who Stare at Goats uses absurd military experiments and an Iraq road trip for satire. Strong swearing and a homophobic slur run through the banter, while firefights, explosions, and stories of animal harm sit behind the jokes. We put it at around M and up because the comedy still draws on war, death, and rough language.
Uplifting themes
Tiny nudges about questioning authority, but the laugh track is cynicism The reporter and psychic soldier are charismatic messes. Entertaining, not exemplary Can spark talks about media embeds and weird military history if you separate fact from exaggeration
Story (may spoil tone)
A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's New Earth Army, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions.
Details
Violence Iraq firefights, IED talk, and stories about stabbing necks for a blood…
Iraq firefights, IED talk, and stories about stabbing necks for a blood fountain mix real danger with gonzo humor. Goats and small animals die in anecdotes. Human deaths are mostly referenced, not graphic
Language F-word, motherf-word, s-word, bull s-word, and a queer slur during hazi…
F-word, motherf-word, s-word, bull s-word, and a queer slur during hazing jokes run through military banter. It feels like stressed soldiers and satire writers competing for the loudest line
Drugs / alcohol Characters joke about getting drunk before machine-gun duty and bad wat…
Characters joke about getting drunk before machine-gun duty and bad water in the desert. Drinking is part of the absurd tone
Frightening Kidnapping talk in a flashback and desert ambush tension flicker, but t…
Kidnapping talk in a flashback and desert ambush tension flicker, but the mood stays comic-weird more than horror
Bullying / discrimination Homophobic insults and macho hazing show up as part of the unit culture…
Homophobic insults and macho hazing show up as part of the unit culture the film mocks. Still rough for LGBTQ+ teens without discussion
Gore / death / weapons The guide flags talk of bloody injury and harm to goats, with guns and…
The guide flags talk of bloody injury and harm to goats, with guns and explosions in the war setting. It describes little lingering on-screen gore
Dangerous behaviour Psychic staring contests and reckless desert driving are played for lau…
Psychic staring contests and reckless desert driving are played for laughs. Not instructional, but silly enough that younger kids might mimic the wrong bits
Grief / bereavement A funeral is mentioned a week after a death in backstory. Light emotion…
A funeral is mentioned a week after a death in backstory. Light emotional weight amid jokes
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
What other parents think.
Be the first family to leave a watch note.
Talk after watching
- Which parts of Lyn's psychic-soldier story seem like exaggeration, and why might the military hide silly programs?
- When a comedy uses real war settings, how do you decide what is respectful versus fair game for satire?
Ask ClearAge
The Men Who Stare at Goats
Ask about this guide, or name another film to open its ClearAge page.