Vice

The title of Adam McKay's latest is a bit misleading; it's not a reference to the oft-mocked figurehead position in the Executive Branch, but more an allusion to the addictive grip of power and the extents men will go to achieve it.

Chronicling the life of Dick Cheney (Christian Bale), one of the more mysterious vice presidents in modern history, "Vice" breaks the typical rules of a biopic by taking some dramatic and comedic liberties (the benefits of redacted intelligence briefings and missing emails) and as seen in 2016's "The Big Short," breaking the fourth wall to help the viewer better understand some of the more critical terms (Unitary Executive Theory). The narrator (Jesse Plemons) is cleverly an ancillary character whose importance isn't revealed until the near ending.

Cheney's rise to power began in humble beginnings in 1960's Wyoming where the literal and metaphoric fly-fishing background is at the core of his character's lifelong process. By a stroke of luck, he crosses paths with Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carrell) and begins an impressive political career (Representative, Secretary of Defense, Chief of Staff, Vice-President). But throughout the whole film, there is always a sense of who's really driving his ambition (Lynn Cheney; played by Amy Adams) and never a complete sense of satisfaction with his own level of power and achievement. He aspires to the top position in the white house, but just never quite gained the momentum or recognition among the voting masses. One of the few downsides to being a quiet, unassuming enigmatic man. His respect and influence within the Capitol Hill community however, is undeniable.

The real story kicks in when he mulls over the offer to be the running mate to a Texan political legacy who doesn't really have a sense of his own purpose (played magnificently by Sam Rockwell). The realization that he can run the country even more effectively as an autocrat if he has one foot in the Legislative, and one foot in the Executive Branches is validated by the thought that if he's part of each, he's not technically accountable to either. A flawless logic that was clearly what the founding fathers were thinking when they established checks and balances.

Christian Bale is a master of capturing a character, but it's what is happening behind his eyes that make this performance so compelling. The moments of silence in between lines of dialogue leave you desperately wanting to know his thought process. A surefire Best Actor nominee, the only thing stopping him from the award is the absence of a monologue or fiery speech, but that's just not who Dick Cheney was (or is perceived to be).

The supporting cast simply shines as Amy Adams, Sam Rockwell, and Steve Carrell turn in tremendous performances without overshadowing Bale's Cheney. The makeup artists deserve some recognition as we see them all age over the course of over thirty years.

What stands out is how sharply the film is put together. Documentary snippets, beautiful visual metaphors, and the use of narration and subtitles to break up the monotony of the history lesson leads to a conveyance of information in a way that tricks the viewer to enjoy it far more than they might if it were simply on The History Channel. Adam McKay has shown twice now that he's more than just Will Farrell's business partner. He's a legitimate writer and director, brilliantly carving out a niche for himself. Next up? "Bad Blood" with Jennifer Lawrence based on a shady tech entrepreneur.

This film fills a void this holiday (and awards) season. There are plenty of biopics, feel-good musicals, feel-bad musicals, uncomfortable looks at race relations, and even an epic superhero film where all of the favorites (gasp) die! But we don't have a film like this in the mix, and for that, I'm, declaring it my top film of 2018. Best Picture and Best Screenplay winners, and a few more nominations to boot. It doesn't get much more entertaining than this, but after all, my bias is probably showing. I am a US History teacher, and ran for Congress this past election... 9/10.