Vice (2018)
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A satirical look at the rise of Dick Cheney to become the most powerful vice president in American history.
The story
The film follows the life of Dick Cheney, the 46th vice president of the United States, as he navigates a path to becoming the most powerful vice president in American history. Beginning in 1963 as a lineman in Wyoming, Cheney's journey through the political landscape of the 1960s and 1970s leads him into the inner workings of the White House. Amidst the complexities of personal life and shifting political landscapes, Cheney emerges as a savvy operative, eventually rising to significant positions of power within the executive branch.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Narrated by a fictional veteran named Kurt, the film traces Dick Cheney's trajectory from a Wyoming lineman in 1963 to the Vice Presidency. After a stint as a White House intern in 1969, he becomes a key operative under Donald Rumsfeld. Following the 1974 'Halloween Massacre' shake-up, he becomes Chief of Staff for Gerald Ford. Despite a failed 1976 congressional run, he rises during the Reagan administration, supporting pro-business policies and serving as Secretary of Defense under George H. W. Bush. After a period as CEO of Halliburton, he is appointed Vice President in 2000. As Vice President, he works with Rumsfeld and others to oversee the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq following 9/11. The film depicts his influence on the unitary executive theory and various controversial policies. The narrative concludes with a final monologue where Cheney declares he has no regrets, while the narrator Kurt dies in a traffic accident and his heart is transplanted into Cheney.
- First release year
- 2018
- Runtime (minutes)
- 132
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Adam McKay
- Writers
- Adam McKay · writer
- Cast and characters
- Christian Bale · Dick Cheney; Amy Adams; Steve Carell; Tyler Perry · Colin Powell; Alison Pill; Lily Rabe · Liz Cheney; Sam Rockwell · George W. Bush; Jesse Plemons; Justin Kirk
- Genres
- biographical; black comedy; political satire
- Themes
- political power; executive authority; political satire
- Tone and mood
- satirical; nihilist
- Setting
- United States, spanning from 1963 through the early 2000s.
- Premise and plot tags
- biographical; political; satire
- Reception
- The film's performances were universally acclaimed, but the film polarized critics, with some calling it one of the best of the year and others one of the worst. It was noted as one of the worst-reviewed films to ever be nominated for Best Picture.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 54; PostTrak · score: 72 · scale: 100
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Awards · Best Make-Up and Hairstyling · Won; Golden Globe Award · Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy · Won; Critics' Choice Awards · Best Actor · Won; Critics' Choice Awards · Best Actor in a Comedy · Won; British Academy Film Awards · Best Editing · Won
- Production trivia
- Christian Bale gained 40 pounds for his role.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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