I`m more impressed with just how spooky Sam resembles Bush.

Mark reviews The Big Short more in this review than he does about Vice.

I really enjoyed the film, don't know why so many critics don't like it. I think it may become more liked with time.

I thought the Restaurant Scene was beautifully crafted. Almost all actors spot on.. It feels like half of the story is missing, so it is less satisfying overall, but it is worth watching

As someone who knew nothing about Dick Cheney going into the film, i thought it was outstanding! For me the suckerpunch line as mark was saying, for me, was when the waiter told them 'todays specials' and went on to offer touture and guantanamo bay But to each his own i guess

Could have saved money on make up by just using Chevy Chase instead.... might not have been as good a performance though....

An entertaining and interesting look at the sources of power behind the presidential office, Christian Bale was outstanding with a special mention for his makeup team. Great supporting cast, shot with style and a good pace to the movie, thoroughly enjoyed it.

I was so mixed on this movie. The first half of it, all the stuff that takes place before 2000, I really loved and was super engaged with, especially by the performances which are amazing across the board. But then the second half veered sharply away from any actual character development because Jesse Plemons spends so much time as the narrator explaining recent political history in a way that's a lot less sleek than in The Big Short (although as Mark mentions, there's not a whole lot of declassified information to work with). The second half feels more like a Michael Moore doc than a narrative film, which is not to say that I don't like plenty of Michael Moore documentaries, it just really seemed to clash tonally with the dramatic scenes, especially when the performances are so high-caliber. Basically the character studies were more interesting than the political exposition, especially when you're already familiar with the history of the Bush administration.

Bale was good. I admit tho that his constant pauses when he was talking began to drive me a bit crazy. Dick didn’t always talk like that. Watch his interviews w/ Megan Kelly. Doesn’t really talk like that at all. But it was still really good

the movie wasn't just about Cheney...it was about power, and how devious minds with bad intentions can always seem to find cohorts that will legitimize those minds. It also shows, that our unwillingness to delve deeper into what's really happening, or to pay attention at all, will be our undoing. Near the end (SPOILER!!) there's a scene involving a focus group devolving into a fist fight, while one of the participants flippantly expresses to another member how stoked she is to see the new "Fast and Furious" movie, seemingly totally apathetic as to what is going on under her nose.

Bale and Rockwell...epic

Hit the nail on the head - biopic about a little known but highly influential person that has really no new insights to bring beyond the surface level facts already out there. Good performances from the 2 leads though (not sure why Rockwell got a nomination though).

408p is the highest res for these videos? Whaaaat?? Come on, BBC.

Not being able to deliver that "sucker puncher" and perfectly encapsulate Cheney and the war on terror is because people still don't know the exact reasons for the war in Iraq for example. The film entertains the possibility that it may have been due to the desire for oil, but also that it could have been due to Cheney's want to indulge in the power of the US presidency, as well as possibly due to the US public's anger and confusion due to 9/11.

Im still trying to wrap my head around that fact Sophie from Peep Show will more than likely win best actress. Coleman has had such an incredible career that I am quite over the moon for her right now. If theres anyone who deserves Oscar Gold and the career boost it will bring, I can't think of a better actor

Some elderly gentleman left when the mock credits came on half way through the film. Poor thing must have thought the film was over and trundled off in his wheelchair! I thought it was a bit disappointing, not sharp and smart as The Big Short. The use of make up and facial transformation was excellent though. Sam Rock well

Kermode explained really well what was bugging me about this film, but which I could not really put my finger on.

Why did a bunch of videos get taken down?

I have so many mixed thoughts about the film. The one thing I can say for definite if that the mid credits scene is the most grown inducing moment I've seen in any recent piece of media.

I can see Christian winning and Olivia Colman winning best actress

Another spot-on review by Kermode...

Definitely an 'all style and no substance" kind of film. This review was absolutely spot-on.

The zoom in shots, cut scenes and shots of nature remind me of the Nixon movie by Oliver Stone

This movie is amazing. I’m just shocked with so much greed, suffering and power that’s held in a dick’s head hand. I like the style/ cinematography of the movie. This true story Reminds you that you/we are nothing more than puppets in the hand of a few.

4:12 I like this analogy of The Big Short

Saw it yesterday. I surprisingly loved it!

Is the continuity *meant* to be terrible in the clip they show?

I love how the editing in that clip suggests a cat toying with a small dying rodent.

This is the only remaining Best Picture nominated film I have left to see probably because it's the one I'm least interested in seeing. Btw, I saw If Beale Street Could Talk last night & it's astounding how that has been overlooked in that category whilst Black Panther is in there. I didn't even dislike Black Panther either, infact it's one of the few superhero movies I've enjoyed in the last couple of years as these type of films are overloading us so much they're well passed their appeal to me.

I thought this was great (probably my favourite film nominated for Best Picture) but I'd agree that its nowhere near what The Big Short is. I think the problem with it is that spends too much time on Dick Cheney's earlier political career and cuts down on the other stuff a bit too much to the point where the end of the film is a little bit like a barraging montage of Dick Cheney doing horrible things more than it is a maintained narrative. I do wish they'd went further though. And I sort of wish McKay had just done a skewering of the Bush Presidency for the entire film rather than try to approach things with a biopic angle, even though a lot of the things I enjoyed about the film where due to that approach.

100% agree, enjoyed it, great performances but felt a bit hollow overall

It obviously suffered editing challenges but it was informative about a number of specific points people might have missed when the events unfolded unless they followed very carefully: background of Fox news, importance of Cheney's lawyer and Scalia, importance of his wife, circumstances of ISIS buildup, email blackouts, hypocrisy with regard to gay marriage, authoritarianism, summary decision making, mangement and development of Republican incluence. I knew merely aspects of each of the aforementioned. Big Fish is leaving beyond doubt Cheney and the hawks were some cold bitches from hell, and assassins

Your only problem with the film was that it wasn't another film?

All main reviewers must follow the Mark.

Fam did you even watch the film..

Very similar to The Sopranos. A loving family man who's work is layered with corruption and murder.

Mark I agree that I still don't know Cheney but maybe that is a blessing - Bale however terrific but he is better in Hostiles I am a student of your reviews 5* as always

@kermodeandmayo - please, Dear Doctor, whatever the Rock(well) does he makes better. His portrayal is bloody brilliant. Plus there is much truth in that one little scene. Jeez, pick up the bloody bass. AloHA.

Christian bale oscar 2019 best actor

Loved. This. Movie.

You didn't see the big fish? "I did what you asked."

His role in Terminator salvation was half hearted

brilliant casting great movie

Cheney was a 'beast'. I am still shock about the Harry Whittington thing.

I preferred Will Ferrell as Dubbya interviewing Dubbya. Insightful.

young people: before Trump, we thought "Dubya" Bush (jnr) was unbelievably bad

The "huge amount of praise" is all coming from a part of our culture that despises the subject matter. Hollywood. Hollywood loves to praise itself and now it can also praise itself and stick a finger in the eye of "conservative'" America. Did love Sam Rockwell.

Christian Bale is amazing how he puts on and loses weight for his roles. 👍👍

I am still not sure who we should have praised: the actors or the make up artists. We are dangerously close to the CGI effect. And sometimes it just looks like a parody.

Love MK's reviews, but he's being harsh on Vice. It is a more complex story than TBS, evil not contained in one evil vehicle of "BDOs", and indeed doesn't lend it self to one big bang at the end. But the depiction of the power behind the president is done really well. While Dubya is let off the hook perhaps a bit too much, Vice does a fine job explaining why the American executive has had such a murderous impact on the world in this century.

thought for the day: never despise "derelict drunks," somewhere out there may be someone being the best person they can be who might otherwise have inflicted another neverending war on us.....

I loved this movie, very very informative while still entertaining and hilarious.

one day im going to watch one of these where Mark is in focus. Bad job "BC ADIO 5"

Christian Bale deserved a better script. The second half of the movie felt rushed and I agree that there was never a big reveal of a nefarious plot. The movie just trod over familiar ground for anyone who lived through those events. The Big Short was far more damning.

My heart goes to Mayo

Did anyone else watch this thinking he looks more like Chevy Chase? - Very much enjoyed this movie.

I much preferred W. from 2008.

I'm sure it's going to get tiresome eventually (and probably has already for some), but I really enjoy the way that over his last few movies (The Big Short, Vice and Don't Look Up) Adam McKay has taken very serious subjects and not only satirised those subjects but also satirised the pompous and didactic ways in which Hollywood usually deals with them.

Adam McKay is an important filmmaker. Can’t say that about many others these days.

The film’s writing, direction & lengthiness is poor, however the film’s terrifically acted, stylish, well characterised & is an intriguing political biopic. (64%) (3/5 stars) (mixed to positive)

100% agree with this review. Vice was underwhelming.

The film editing nomination is a joke. There is a scene in the oval office where one shot is Tyler Perry's character getting up off a couch, and rather than edit the next shot to be a natural continuation of him getting up, the next shot is him in the background sitting to standing like he had to do it twice. This is a hollywood made movie, how can something so amateur get past McKay and the producers?

Every single little 4th wall break and dumb little quirk just completely took me out of the film. I could never engage with it and very quickly it began to annoy me.

9-11? Halliburton ? Genieoil?

Donald Rumpsfield felt super off. The actor did not potray the real life Donald at all

Great film

Dubya was much better.

Make a movie about American history. Guaranteed Oscar Nomination. I'm with Mark, its ok nothing amazing. First half is pretty dull. Bale is basically doing a Batman wit that annoying deep voice

As much as Mark is fab and viscerally entertaining he is missing the underlying depth of this film. It’s a scary and poignant film and after the first 20 mins has both wit and riveting , if anyone just look back at recent history then it’s a bit gob smacking ... I suggest to listen to Adam McKay being interviewed then you’ll get the viewpoint he is trying to get across ...

Yeah I agree with Mark. It has some merit, but I found it super overrated and not nearly as good as “The Big Short.”

Bale mumbles his way through this movie. There's nothing really good about the picture other than it being in focus and the sound working.

From batman to fatman

Not a fan of Bale's performance in this one, to be honest.

Most overrated film of the Oscar season, I thought The Big Short was fantastic, but Vice was disjointed and for all it's showy editing, plain boring. I recently watched Oliver Stone's '.W' over Christmas and whilst itself is not a perfect film, it still provided a far better insight into the characters behind post-9/11 America.

It's not a good movie, but the performances save it.

Spider-Man climbed

I hate Dick Cheney, but I think I hated this film more. There was no subltety; it was over two hours of, "Do you get it? Cheney wasn't a nice man!" over and over and over again.

Rubbish film with nothing interesting to say on a subject matter with potential. Horrendously directed and particularly shocking editing, largely underwhelming performances (looking at you Steve Carell and Jesse Plemons) or underwhelming characterizations (remind me again why Amy Adams is being nominated for this?). Christian Bale is good though, I'll grant him that.

Can’t take this seriously at all why the hell is Bale using his Batman voice? Ridiculous.

Did no one tell Adam McKay what an amazing cast he has at this disposal? Every scene is over-edited, the narration is pointless, the symbolism is like an anvil. He doesn't even use some of the actors very well.

Kermode is usually very reliable, not with this review im afraid. Really excellent film, funny as hell too. Go see it

This film was not great. The acting was but the actual storytelling was poor. Big short followed a clear story. This tried to cram 50 years of history into a film.

Saw it today. Nowhere near as good as “The Big Short” although it pulls similar tricks. Bale seemed half asleep.

Demonic edge?...lol. Hardly😒

I fell asleep

honestly, it's a mess, there's no story in it and it covers nothing special, it's not entertaining, funny, well paced nor well edit. The movie takes no risk and has like nothing to work with so we're left with just the scraps of a half assed story. And the narraration is garbage, giving a feeling of a movie not having started even when we're 30 minutes into the film, urghhh... sure - the performances are great but even a diamond on a hobo isn't gonna make him fancy

Unbelievably good film in my view

The clip felt like a parody.

Had to disagree with Mark on this one. Honestly, I think his criticism would be better targeted if it were a movie about the Trump administration. How can this happen? How did we get here? Vice is more an exploration of people, mostly men, with terrible motivations going after power and the effect that that has on the country and the world.

Truly boring film with some good performances. Very scattershot. Not worth any praise

what an overrated pile of rubbish...bale deserves credit for holding the interest around a truly boring and repressed character, but the rest? amy adams, seriously? every other film she's done she's been better....robbed every time and now for this? best director over bradley cooper? seriously...and the worst- sam rockwell for nothing....over timothy calumet, seriously? f..k it...

This film is indeed not as good as some would like you to believe.

I loathe Dick Cheney. I don't care how good this film. I can't bring myself to see it.

People also need to understand that the film is very inaccurate

Great make up, strong editing, fairly good to really good acting.... ....total mess of a movie. 5/10 at best.

why not just get a balding, elderly American guy to play Cheney? They couldn't find any? And why are they trying to bulk Cheney up like he is a massive beach ball, he isn't that overweight at all?

Movie was pretty flimsy and shallow tbh

Those Iraqi civilians got a lot of "killer blows" that Cheney was responsible for

Watched it last night, the makeup was the only interesting thing about this movie. It felt like watching a Michael Moore documentary. Grotesquely biased. I wasn't impressed.

Terrible acting and that make up does not convince.