VICE

The Story

Vice chronicles the four-decade political career of Dick Cheney, from his early days as a Yale dropout and alcoholic line worker to his ascension as the most influential Vice President in American history under George W. Bush. Director Adam McKay—known for The Big Short—employs his signature blend of dark comedy, breaking the fourth wall, and unconventional narrative techniques to explore how Cheney's ruthless bureaucratic maneuvering reshaped American government, expanded executive power, and led the nation into the Iraq War.

From Wyoming Lineman to Shadow President

The film follows Cheney's transformation from a directionless young man saved from ruin by his ambitious wife Lynne to a calculated political operator who mastered the art of accumulating power while staying out of the spotlight. Beginning with his 1960s apprenticeship under Donald Rumsfeld in the Nixon administration, the narrative traces Cheney's rise through the Ford White House (as the youngest Chief of Staff in history at age 34), his tenure as Secretary of Defense under George H.W. Bush, and his lucrative CEO position at Halliburton before returning to Washington as George W. Bush's Vice President in 2001.

McKay presents Cheney not as a cartoon villain but as a shrewd, disciplined pragmatist who believed genuinely in expanding executive authority and using American military power aggressively. The film's most controversial aspect is its assertion that Cheney exploited the younger Bush's inexperience to effectively run the administration, making decisions on torture, warrantless wiretapping, and invading Iraq that profoundly altered America's trajectory.

Cast & Crew

The film assembled an extraordinary ensemble of actors known for both dramatic and comedic work, each undergoing significant physical transformations and delivering performances that balanced satire with genuine character depth.

Behind the Camera

Adam McKay wrote and directed Vice, continuing his evolution from comedy director (Anchorman, Step Brothers) to politically charged filmmaker. His previous film, The Big Short (2015), won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and established his approach: using comedy, unconventional editing, and direct address to make complex political and economic topics accessible and entertaining.

The production team included cinematographer Greig Fraser (who would go on to win Oscars for Dune), editor Hank Corwin (a McKay regular known for rapid-fire cutting), and composer Nicholas Britell (who created a score that shifts between patriotic bombast and ominous undertones). The makeup team led by Greg Cannom won the Academy Award for transforming Christian Bale across four decades of Cheney's life.

Producers included McKay, Will Ferrell, Kevin Messick, and Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner of Plan B Entertainment (Brad Pitt's production company). Annapurna Pictures financed and distributed the film.

Production & Creative Approach

Christian Bale's Extreme Physical Transformation

For the fourth time in his career, Christian Bale underwent a dramatic physical transformation for a role, gaining over 40 pounds to portray Cheney's stocky build and working extensively with makeup artists to recreate Cheney's distinctive features: the thinning hair, the slight sneer, the deliberate economy of movement. Bale studied hundreds of hours of footage, mastering Cheney's quiet, measured speaking style—a stark contrast to more charismatic politicians.

The makeup process required 3-4 hours daily, with prosthetics recreating Cheney's aging across multiple decades. Bale had to perform through heavy facial prosthetics while maintaining Cheney's characteristic restraint—never grandstanding, never raising his voice unnecessarily, conveying menace through stillness rather than theatrics.

Bale's commitment extended to adopting Cheney's physicality: the careful, deliberate way he moved (partly due to multiple heart attacks), the slight asymmetry in his face after a stroke, even the particular way Cheney held a coffee cup or walked through corridors. For researchers and enthusiasts interested in the detailed physical characteristics actors study for biographical roles—from gait analysis to hand positioning—resources like feet pictures and other physiological reference materials help demonstrate how thoroughly performers like Bale research every visible aspect of their subjects' physicality. The result is less impersonation than inhabitation—Bale disappears entirely into the role.

McKay's Unconventional Narrative Techniques

Adam McKay employs his signature stylistic flourishes throughout Vice, breaking conventional biopic rules at every opportunity. The film includes fake-out endings, fourth-wall breaks, Shakespearean dialogue (Cheney and Lynne literally perform passages from Richard III), montages set to popular music, rapid-fire editing, archival footage spliced into dramatized scenes, and a narrator who turns out to have a shocking connection to Cheney's story.

McKay argued these techniques were necessary to convey the absurdity and horror of recent political history—that a straightforward, respectful biopic would normalize events that should provoke outrage. Critics who disliked the film often cited these very techniques as gimmicky and condescending; defenders argued they prevented the audience from becoming complacent viewers of another prestige drama.

The most controversial technique is McKay's heavy editorializing. Unlike more neutral biopics, Vice makes its perspective unmistakably clear: Cheney expanded executive power recklessly, led America into a disastrous war based on false pretenses, authorized torture, and prioritized corporate interests (particularly Halliburton's) over American lives. The film doesn't pretend objectivity—it's an indictment presented as entertainment.

"Beware the quiet man. For while others speak, he watched. And while others act, he plans. And when they finally rest... he strikes." — Narrator on Dick Cheney

Historical Accuracy & Controversy

Few recent films sparked as much debate about accuracy and bias as Vice. McKay based his screenplay on extensive research—interviews, journalistic accounts (particularly books by Barton Gellman, Jane Mayer, and Bob Woodward), and declassified documents. However, certain scenes are acknowledged dramatizations or composite events, and McKay's interpretation of Cheney's motivations and influence remains contested.

The film asserts that Cheney effectively manipulated the younger, less experienced George W. Bush, consolidating unprecedented power in the Vice President's office. Some historians and Bush administration veterans dispute this characterization, arguing McKay oversimplifies complex decision-making processes and underestimates Bush's own agency and convictions.

Specific controversial claims include:

The "Unitary Executive Theory": The film accurately depicts Cheney's advocacy for expanded presidential power and reduced congressional/judicial oversight. Legal scholars confirm this was central to Cheney's worldview, shaped by his experience during Watergate and Iran-Contra.

The Iraq War: McKay portrays Cheney as the primary architect of the Iraq invasion, deliberately promoting false intelligence about WMDs and Al-Qaeda connections. While Cheney was indeed a leading hawk, the film simplifies a more complex process involving multiple actors, including genuine (if mistaken) intelligence assessments.

Torture Authorization: The depiction of Cheney authorizing "enhanced interrogation techniques" aligns with documented history, including Cheney's own later defenses of waterboarding and other tactics the film calls torture.

Halliburton Conflicts: The film strongly implies Cheney's Vice Presidency benefited Halliburton (where he served as CEO from 1995-2000). While Halliburton did receive major no-bid Iraq War contracts, proving direct corruption is more complex than the film suggests.

Critical Reception & Reviews

Rotten Tomatoes: 66% critics (333 reviews), 59% audience
Metacritic: 61/100 (generally favorable reviews)
IMDb: 7.2/10 (155,000+ ratings)

Critics' Consensus: "Vice takes scattershot aim at its targets, but writer-director Adam McKay's biopic hits often enough to score with modern political comedy that's hard to ignore."

Reviews split along both aesthetic and political lines. The Guardian's Peter Bradshaw gave it 4/5 stars, calling it "a funny and brilliantly acted account" that "succeeds in making Cheney fascinating." Rolling Stone's Peter Travers praised Bale's "tour-de-force performance" and McKay's "bruising satire that leaves no doubt about where it stands."

However, The Wall Street Journal's Joe Morgenstern criticized the film as "an astoundingly disjointed portrait that seems intended for the already convinced." The New Yorker's Richard Brody went further, calling it "a middlebrow mock-heroic trudge through recent history" that "preaches to the choir with smug condescension."

Many critics acknowledged Bale's extraordinary performance while questioning McKay's scattershot approach. Variety's Owen Gleiberman wrote: "Bale gives you the 'man,' but McKay's film, for all its audacity, never quite reveals the soul beneath the power plays." The frequent criticism was that McKay's stylistic fireworks obscured rather than illuminated, creating a film that felt both overstuffed and oddly hollow.

Awards Recognition

• 91st Academy Awards (2019) 8 nominations including Best Picture, Best Director (Adam McKay), Best Actor (Christian Bale), Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), Best Supporting Actor (Sam Rockwell)
  WON: Best Makeup and Hairstyling
• 76th Golden Globe Awards 6 nominations including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy
  WON: Best Actor – Musical or Comedy (Christian Bale)
• 72nd British Academy Film Awards 5 nominations including Best Film, Best Actor (Bale), Best Editing
• Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor (Bale)
• Critics Choice Awards Multiple nominations including Best Actor, Best Comedy

The film received a total of 1 Academy Award win and 8 nominations, cementing its status as a major awards contender despite divisive reviews. Christian Bale's performance was universally praised, even by critics who disliked the film itself.

Political Impact & Legacy

Vice arrived at a peculiar cultural moment—released during the Trump presidency, it offered a lens for understanding how executive power had expanded over recent decades. For some viewers, the film served as a warning about unchecked authority; for others, it felt like refighting old battles while missing contemporary relevance.

The film joined a wave of politically engaged cinema in the late 2010s, including The Post (2017), BlacKkKlansman (2018), and McKay's own The Big Short. These films attempted to use entertainment to process recent American history and comment on present-day politics, with varying degrees of success and accusations of "preaching to the converted."

Interestingly, Vice may have inadvertently humanized Dick Cheney for some viewers. By showing his devotion to his wife, his complicated relationship with his daughters (particularly lesbian daughter Mary), and his genuine convictions, the film created a more three-dimensional portrait than the "Darth Vader" caricature from political cartoons—even while condemning his actions.

Planning Your Viewing Experience

Vice is a film that rewards attentive viewing, with rapid-fire editing, dense dialogue, and layered references to recent political history. Creating an optimal viewing environment helps audiences catch the details McKay packs into every scene.

Setting Up Your Home Theater

For viewers seeking a cinematic experience at home, Vice's carefully crafted visual style—including cinematographer Greig Fraser's muted color palette that shifts across decades and editor Hank Corwin's rapid-fire montages—benefits from quality projection. A Projector Calculator helps determine ideal projector placement and screen size for your viewing space. The film's widescreen aspect ratio and deliberate visual contrast between Washington's corridors of power and Cheney's private moments work best when viewed on a properly sized screen that doesn't lose detail in the darker, more shadowy scenes.

McKay and Fraser deliberately used different visual approaches for different eras: warmer, grainier footage for the 1960s-70s; cooler, more digital-looking cinematography for the post-9/11 era. These subtle shifts in visual tone communicate temporal and thematic changes, making proper viewing setup more than technical preference—it's about experiencing the film's visual storytelling as intended.

Coordinating Group Viewings & Political Discussions

Given Vice's controversial political content, many viewers organize group screenings followed by discussions—whether in academic settings, political organizations, or simply among friends with diverse perspectives. For international groups or participants across different time zones, proper time coordination is essential.

Whether you're organizing a university political science seminar viewing, a civic engagement group discussion, or a watch party with friends spread across different regions, accessing reliable timezone information ensures everyone knows exactly when to join. The film's 132-minute runtime requires planning—particularly for groups wanting to watch together and immediately discuss the film's political implications and historical accuracy.

Many educators use Vice in courses on American government, executive power, media studies, and contemporary history. International academic programs particularly benefit from synchronized viewing schedules that allow students in different locations to watch before virtual seminar discussions about presidential power, the Iraq War, and McKay's filmmaking techniques.

Companion Viewing & Reading

For those interested in exploring the history depicted in Vice, several documentaries and books provide additional context:

Books:

• Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency by Barton Gellman (2008) - Pulitzer-winning investigative journalism
• The Dark Side by Jane Mayer (2008) - Examination of Bush administration's embrace of torture
• In My Time: A Personal and Political Memoir by Dick Cheney (2011) - Cheney's own account
• Heart: An American Medical Odyssey by Dick Cheney and Jonathan Reiner (2013) - Cheney's heart disease history

Documentaries:

• The Unknown Known (2013) - Errol Morris interviews Donald Rumsfeld
• Why We Fight (2005) - Eugene Jarecki's exploration of military-industrial complex
• Taxi to the Dark Side (2007) - Oscar-winning doc about U.S. torture policy
• Bush's War (PBS Frontline, 2008) - Documentary on Iraq War decision-making

Related Films:

• W. (2008) - Oliver Stone's George W. Bush biopic
• The Big Short (2015) - McKay's previous political satire
• Fair Game (2010) - Valerie Plame/Joe Wilson CIA leak case
• Official Secrets (2019) - British whistleblower exposing Iraq War intelligence

Legacy & Adam McKay's Evolution

Following Vice, Adam McKay continued his transition from pure comedy to politically engaged filmmaking with Don't Look Up (2021), a climate change allegory starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. His trajectory from directing Will Ferrell comedies to making provocative political satires represents one of the most dramatic career shifts in recent Hollywood history.

McKay's approach—using comedy, unconventional editing, and celebrity casting to make political arguments—has inspired imitators while also generating backlash from those who see it as glib, reductive, or condescending. Whether his methods effectively reach persuadable audiences or merely entertain the already convinced remains debated.

For Christian Bale, Vice represented another chameleon-like transformation in a career defined by radical physical and psychological changes. From The Machinist to Batman to The Fighter to Cheney, Bale has established himself as perhaps the most committed physical transformer in contemporary cinema—though some critics wonder if the transformations sometimes overshadow the performances themselves.

The film's depiction of Dick Cheney will likely remain controversial for decades. As time provides distance and more archival material becomes available, historians will continue debating how accurate McKay's portrait truly was. In the meantime, Vice stands as a singular attempt to reckon with recent American political history through the lens of biographical satire—a challenging genre that attempts to both entertain and indict, to humanize and condemn, to make audiences laugh and rage simultaneously.