The Funniest Political Biopic Of All Time Streaming Without Netflix
Political biopics often depict the shocking true story behind the rise and fall of certain public figures such as American presidents. Heads of state such as Barack Obama, Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and many others have served as the center of fairly dry films, which showcase the subjects’ respective goals and traversals of the political system. One political biopic however, 2018’s Vice, brings raucous laughter like never before, while showcasing Dick Cheney, a man who never actually received the title of president.
The Dick Cheney Biopic We’ve All Been Waiting For
For those who have never seen Vice, which follows the career of former vice president Dick Cheney, the film is currently streaming for free on Pluto TV.
This dramatic comedy showcases Cheney’s rise from a wayward youth with a borderline drinking problem, to a White House staffer for the Nixon administration, to an oil executive, and finally, studies his interpretation of the unitary executive theory, which many political analysts blame for the war on Iraq.
The film also follows the retired politician’s personal controversies and family life, including his tumultuous relationship with his daughter, who came out as homosexual back in the 1990s.
What Else Would You Expect From Adam McKay?
It should come as no surprise that Vice is such a laugh riot, as the film was written and directed by visionary comedy filmmaker Adam McKay. McKay previously helmed such over-the-top classics as The Other Guys, Step Brothers, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. Though his roots lie in slapstick comedy ventures, McKay has steadily shifted towards more serious subject matter in recent years, covering topics such as the housing market crash of 2008 in The Big Short, as well as the politics of global warming in 2021’s Don’t Look Up.
Christian Bale’s Insane Transformation
Vice touts an exceptional cast of A-listers, each of whom bring their all to the production, including Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Amy Adams, Alison Pill, Tyler Perry, and Breaking Bad‘s Jesse Plemons, led by Christian Bale as the former VP himself.
Bale, a known method actor, is nearly unrecognizable in his performance of Dick Cheney, having gained more than 40 pounds and donned a male-pattern-baldness haircut for the role.
In fact, the Batman Begins actor has explained that Vice would be his final major body transformation for a film role, as his frequent fluctuations in weight have likely shaved years off of his life.
The Ultimate Political Satire
Somehow, Christian Bale was able to master Dick Cheney’s look and voice, while still bringing a humorous satirical angle to his performance, in a number of ridiculous scenes which see him speaking in Shakespearean tongue, fly fishing to the tune of an ultra-dramatic orchestral score, and addressing the camera head-on, while refusing to apologize for any of his actions.
I’m not sure it’s technically possible to “spoil” a movie that’s based on real political events, but I won’t walk through the plot anyway, as Vice really deserves to be seen with as little prior knowledge as possible.
Vice Is Streaming on Pluto TV
GFR SCORE
In a world rife with boring, slow-paced political biopics, Vice is truly a cut above, resulting in a host of Golden Globe and Oscar nominations. Personally, I think this is the most interesting and effective political film ever made, and I make it a point to rewatch it quite regularly. If you’re interested in catching Vice today, be sure to stream the film for free on Pluto TV.
