Vice
2018 · Directed by Adam McKay
Original language: English
- drama
- comedy
- history
The story
George W. Bush picks Dick Cheney, the CEO of Halliburton Co., to be his Republican running mate in the 2000 presidential election. No stranger to politics, Cheney's impressive résumé includes stints as White House chief of staff, House Minority Whip and Defense Secretary. When Bush wins by a narrow margin, Cheney begins to use his newfound power to help reshape the country and the world.
What it’s like
Restless handheld camera, hard-cut montage and fast, jittery editing give Vice the feel of a sharp, cynical documentary that keeps breaking the fourth wall, with a rapid-fire rhythm that hits like a series of jabs. Its palette is drab and institutional: fluorescent office light, beige government rooms, dim wood-panelled studies and the hazy grey of Washington winters, punctuated by sudden flashes of black-comedy stylisation. Christian Bale's transformation sits at the centre, a slow physical and vocal reshaping that feels like watching a quiet man vanish into a very powerful public role. The sound design leans on a propulsive, mock-solemn score and cutaways that undercut the drama, so the tone shifts between satire, unease and grim seriousness. Intensity is moderate: brief, abrupt bursts of violence tied to the Iraq War and 9/11, some profanity, and a sense of moral darkness rather than gore or graphic cruelty. This suits viewers who want a biting, politically minded comedy-drama with a dry, knowing edge, and it is best watched alert, not drifting in the background.
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