Morris seems to go deep. But does he? The film is Morris’s but the message McNamara’s... The film is effective emotionally -- sometimes unbearably so. Intellectually...?
The Fog of War (2003)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:133
Fresh:130
Rotten:3
Average Rating:8.4/10
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Education/General Interest
Synopsis: Documentarian Errol Morris directs THE FOG OF WAR, a captivating look at Robert S. McNamara, who served as the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The movie... Documentarian Errol Morris directs THE FOG OF WAR, a captivating look at Robert S. McNamara, who served as the Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War and the Cuban Missile Crisis. The movie does not exclusively focus on this part of McNamara's career, however, and instead gives a broad overview of the man he was, his multitude of roles--a Harvard Business School graduate, a Colonel in the Air Force during WWII, president of Ford Motor Company--and his opinions on a variety of historical topics. Inspired by two books written by McNamara--IN RETROSPECT (1995) and WILSON'S GHOST (2001)--Morris gives McNamara a forum to talk about the decisions he made and the influence he had during his career. At the age of 85, McNamara has gained necessary perspective to do just that. Sharp as a tack, loaded with charisma, and generally fascinating, McNamara easily carries the film with his revealing interviews. Meanwhile, Morris's use of archival footage--along with maps and other effective visual aids--add context to McNamara's commentary, and Philip Glass's ominous, pulsing score gives the film's important subject matter the gravity it deserves. [More]
Starring: Robert S. McNamara
Starring: Robert S. McNamara
Director: Errol Morris
Director: Errol Morris
Producer: Michael Williams, Julie Ahlberg
Composer: Philip Glass
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics
Reviews for The Fog of War
Fascinating look at an influential old man looking back on his life, enlivened by strong graphics and news footage, with a great Philip Glass score.
I'm dismayed when movies like this come along, because they deserve to be seen. But audiences generally don't give them what they deserve.
With The Fog of War the human frailties of power and policy are brought into focus with our current situation. Who else is freaked out?
Admittedly this was a fascinating watch despite my reservations about the interview.
Offers a couple of hours of brilliant clarity amid the noise and chaos.
For those of my generation, the true resonance in the film may be in the constant juxtaposition between the then and the now of the McNamara life.
The words "I’m sorry" just don’t exist in McNamara’s Orwellian techno-speak vocabulary.
The "lessons" provide the framework for the film in a stylistic homage to Sun Tzu's The Art of War, but McNamara's advice leans more toward Machiavelli's political pragmatism.
it's clear Morris is taking aim both at the tough-talking Texan who lived in the White House 40 years ago and the one who's currently there...
Enjoy your Oscar, Errol Morris. As you were the first to say, you deserved it.
A fascinating look at a proud, stern, media-savvy giant of a man not so much interested in atoning for past sins as lecturing us about the inherent flaws of human nature.
Engrossing from start to finish... but it may be Morris's least challenging film...
Even if you aren't a history buff or normally watch documentarties, Errol Morris' film is fascinating.
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