Vice

Written by Joy Dembo on . Posted in 2018

Vice is a masterpiece and well deserves its 8 Oscar nominations.

The movie is a biographical account of the life of former US Vice President, Dick Cheney. The film is essentially a drama but has loads of humour and clever unexpected surprises.

Vice follows the rise of Dick Cheney from being a down and out drunk to being the most powerful Vice President in US History. Cheney was driven by his ambitious, educated wife, Lynne, who gave him an ultimatum to clean up his act or she would leave him.

The movie is narrated by Kurt, who is a fictious military veteran. We only find out much later in the film how Kurt actually fits into Cheney’s life. There are numerous flashbacks and flash forwards, in his personal and political lives, building an enlightening insight into this man. His mentor Rumsfeld and at times, Cheney, himself are not always portrayed in a favourable light, begging many questions regarding some difficult times in US history, including the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent war on terror.

The movie also focuses on the embarrassment and tension in the Cheney household when his one daughter reveals she is gay and marries a woman. There are definite indications that subsequent to 9/11 Cheney and Rumsfeld’s roles in US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, resulted in the killing of civilians and the torture of prisoners and the ultimate rise of ISIS.

Christian Bale gives a magnificent performance as Cheney, earning him a Golden Globe for Best Actor and a nomination for best actor at the forthcoming Academy Awards. Amy Adams plays his wife, Lynne, and they are supported by a brilliant cast of A-list actors, including Steve Carell as Rumsfeld.
This movie is a must see! It will entertain you, and give you many issues to ponder.

The film was written and directed by Adam McKay and is being released in cinemas countrywide on 1 February 2019.