Men Who Stare at Goats wins Clooney mixed reviews

George Clooney's latest film, The Men Who Stare at Goats - a comedy about the US Army's research into developing soldiers' paranormal powers for military advantage - has so far received mixed reviews following its premiere at the Venice film festival despite an all-star cast.

Clooney plays Lyn Cassady, a special forces operative who is the US Army's secret weapon thanks to his psychic skills that include the art of invisibility and the ability to stop goats' hearts by staring at them.

Ewan McGregor co-stars as a jaded journalist who may be on the verge of the scoop of a lifetime. Jeff Bridges plays Cassady's hippyish commanding officer while Kevin Spacey plays a champion spoon-bender who is Cassady's rival.

The adaptation of British journalist Jon Ronson's best-selling book received a four-star review from the Times's Wendy Ide, who called it "a confident directorial debut [by Clooney's 'Good Night and Good Luck' writing and producing partner Grant Heslov] with hints of the Coen brothers' off-beat absurdist streak".

Variety called it an "offbeat comedy" while Screendaily.com, praised Heslov's "lightness of touch" and called Peter Straughan's script "smart and exuberant".

However Kaleem Aftab, writing in the Independent, gave The Men Who Stare at Goats just two stars, calling it "disappointing". He added: "Given the source material and the endless possibilities, it's surprising that the movie has ended up with so few belly laughs". Clooney's turn as Cassady is "a peculiar performance", he added.

Meanwhile, Tuesday's press conference for the film, which claims to be "more true than you'd like to believe" took on an appropriately surreal turn when George Clooney - who is used to being swooned over by his female fans - was propositioned by an Italian man.

Mediaset TV personality Mauro Casciari stripped down to his underpants, which had the words: "George, pick me," felt-tipped onto the crotch. He then shouted, "I love you, George," before being escorted from the room by security guards. An unflappable Clooney coolly joked: "You stay there, we'll get back to you. There's a little ambulance on its way here."

Later that evening Clooney, sporting a bandaged hand after slamming his hand in a car door last month, was accompanied at the premiere by Italian pinup and TV presenter Elisabetta Canalis (above).