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IMDbPro

War Machine

  • 20172017
  • TV-MATV-MA
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
47K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,344
108
Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Daniel Betts, Topher Grace, Anthony Hayes, Emory Cohen, John Magaro, Aymen Hamdouchi, and RJ Cyler in War Machine (2017)
An absurdist war story for our times, writer-director David Michod (Animal Kingdom) recreates a U.S. General's roller-coaster rise and fall as part reality, part savage parody - raising the specter of just where the line between them lies today. His is an exploration of a born leader's ultra-confident march right into the dark heart of folly. At the story's core is Brad Pitt's sly take on a successful, charismatic four-star general who leapt in like a rock star to command NATO forces in Afghanistan, only to be taken down by a journalist's no-holds-barred expose.
Play trailer0:31
3 Videos
77 Photos
ComedyDramaWar
An idiosyncratic general confronts opposition from enemies, allies, and bureaucrats while leading a massive rebuilding operation in Afghanistan.An idiosyncratic general confronts opposition from enemies, allies, and bureaucrats while leading a massive rebuilding operation in Afghanistan.An idiosyncratic general confronts opposition from enemies, allies, and bureaucrats while leading a massive rebuilding operation in Afghanistan.
IMDb RATING
6.0/10
47K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,344
108
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • David Michôd
    • Writers
      • Michael Hastings(book "The Operators")
      • David Michôd(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Brad Pitt
      • Daniel Betts
      • John Magaro
    Top credits
    • Director
      • David Michôd
    • Writers
      • Michael Hastings(book "The Operators")
      • David Michôd(screenplay)
    • Stars
      • Brad Pitt
      • Daniel Betts
      • John Magaro
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 217User reviews
    • 89Critic reviews
    • 56Metascore
    • Awards
      • 3 nominations

    Videos3

    Streaming Today
    Trailer 0:31
    Streaming Today
    Trailer #2
    Trailer 2:20
    Trailer #2
    Teaser
    Trailer 0:46
    Teaser

    Photos77

    Brad Pitt in War Machine (2017)
    Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Daniel Betts, Topher Grace, Anthony Hayes, and John Magaro in War Machine (2017)
    Brad Pitt and Ben Kingsley in War Machine (2017)
    War Machine (2017)
    Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Daniel Betts, Topher Grace, Anthony Hayes, Emory Cohen, John Magaro, Aymen Hamdouchi, and RJ Cyler in War Machine (2017)
    Russell Crowe in War Machine (2017)
    Roy Beck in War Machine (2017)
    Brad Pitt and Meg Tilly in War Machine (2017)
    Alan Ruck in War Machine (2017)
    Ben Kingsley in War Machine (2017)
    LaKeith Stanfield in War Machine (2017)
    Brad Pitt and Ben Kingsley in War Machine (2017)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Brad Pitt
    Brad Pitt
    • Glen McMahon
    Daniel Betts
    Daniel Betts
    • Simon Ball
    John Magaro
    John Magaro
    • Cory Staggart
    Emory Cohen
    Emory Cohen
    • Willy Dunne
    RJ Cyler
    RJ Cyler
    • Andy Moon
    Topher Grace
    Topher Grace
    • Matt Little
    Anthony Michael Hall
    Anthony Michael Hall
    • Greg Pulver
    Anthony Hayes
    Anthony Hayes
    • Pete Duckman
    Nicholas Maude
    Nicholas Maude
    • British Officer
    Paolo Gasparini
    • Plotti Balotti
    Andrew Byron
    Andrew Byron
    • Vladislav Melnik
    Alan Ruck
    Alan Ruck
    • Pat Mackinnon
    Nicholas Jones
    Nicholas Jones
    • Dick Waddle
    Griffin Dunne
    Griffin Dunne
    • Ray Canucci
    Aykut Hilmi
    Aykut Hilmi
    • Afghan Bureaucrat
    Ben Kingsley
    Ben Kingsley
    • President Karzai
    Nasser Rostai
    • Presidential Aide
    Rufus Wright
    Rufus Wright
    • Frank Groom
    • Director
      • David Michôd
    • Writers
      • Michael Hastings(book "The Operators")
      • David Michôd(screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The statue visited by General Glen McMahon (Brad Pitt) after his press conference is located at the Neue Wache (New Guardhouse) in Berlin, Germany. It is a enlarged version of Käthe Kollwitz "Pietà". Though the original was not sculpted for this purpose, it was placed as a memorial to all Victims of War and Dictatorship.
    • Goofs
      President Hamid Karzai's name is mispronounced by Ben Kingsley who is playing him. Should be Haamed not Hameed which is a different name even though both names are transcribed in the same way as Hamid from Pashto they are written differently in Arabic.
    • Quotes

      President Karzai: Your predecessor, General Whelan! I liked him! I'm not entirely certain he liked *me*; he didn't visit very often. Why was he dismissed? It seems- uhh, one minute he was here- uh, next minute, not here.

      Gen. Glen McMahon: Ah. Well, Mr. President, I think our government simply felt it was time our effort took a new direction.

      President Karzai: And uh, what is this new direction?

      Gen. Glen McMahon: Ah! It's most important to me that we *build* Afghanistan. Together, we build Afghanistan into a free and prosperous nation, free from fear and conflict.

      President Karzai: I see.

      Gen. Glen McMahon: Yeah.

      President Karzai: I see. Sounds a lot like the *old* direction.

    • Connections
      Featured in ACS France (2018)
    • Soundtracks
      Confused
      Written by Jon Spencer (as J. Spencer), Judah Bauer (as J. Bauer), Russell Simins (as R. Simins)

      Performed by The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (as Jon Spencer Blues Explosion)

      Courtesy of Dirty Shirt Music

      Under license from Gaga Music

    User reviews217

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    ups and downs
    Gen. Glen McMahon (Brad Pitt) is no non-sense soldier. He lives a Spartan life often away from his family. He and his team such as the always shouting Greg Pulver (Anthony Michael Hall) are called in to cleanup the Afganistan quagmire. He is told to push the needle and not request for more troops. Instead, he is driven to win and sees his way where everyone else has failed. He uses any means to get his way while not getting his meeting with Obama. He finds President Karzai (Ben Kingsley), an isolated corrupt leader. Media consultant Matt Little (Topher Grace) suggests getting him an article in Rolling Stones.

    This dark comedy is too real to be funny. If Strangelove actually happened, the absurd movie would be less fun. One is always reminded that real people died here and there because the character of McMahon is based on a real person. While there are interesting bits, the general sense of this movie is one of tired resignation.

    I don't know if it's the Rolling Stones reporter but I'm reminded of Almost Famous. In that movie, the reporter is the protagonist and he's the eyes with which the audience sees the story. The rock star is a subject who is slowly revealed. In this movie, we are given only the narration of reporter Sean Cullen for the most part. He shows up for a limited role later in the movie. McMahon is the protagonist and we're stuck with him for good and for ill.

    Of all the characters, the most compelling is the 'confused' Marine Cpl. Billy Cole. His first scene with McMahon is devastating. His face is haunting. What he says resonates more than any other character. In the end, he is a minor character. His other scene is another compelling sequence as his squad goes into a hostile town. Again he is more compelling than anyone else and it is emotionally draining. This movie could have been great but McMahon can't be the protagonist. He is an absurd side character like Karzai in this movie.
    helpful•26
    10
    • SnoopyStyle
    • May 27, 2017

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 26, 2017 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official Facebook
    • Languages
      • English
      • Pashtu
    • Also known as
      • The Operators
    • Filming locations
      • Pariser Platz, Mitte, Berlin, Germany
    • Production companies
      • Netflix
      • Plan B Entertainment
      • Hurwitz Creative
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €69,420 (estimated)
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 2 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

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