John Cusack Aims To Offend With "War, Inc"

John Cusack is outraged over the Iraq war, so the U.S. actor channeled his anger into a low-budget political satire -- complete with a chorus line of scantily clad female amputees -- that he hopes will offend.

Inspired by anger about the war and questions about the political power held by global corporations, "War, Inc" is set in Turaqistan, a fictional nation occupied by a private U.S. company called Tamerlane and run by a former American vice president.

Cusack helped write the screenplay and also stars with Sir Ben Kingsley, Marisa Tomei and Hilary Duff in the film, which premiered this week at New York's Tribeca Film Festival alongside several more serious documentaries on Iraq and other conflicts.

"I think the movie should be kind of offensive," Cusack told Reuters about the film, which will be released in New York and Los Angeles theaters on May 23. "I'm shocked at how much good reaction we're getting."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[xtown]

Does anybody know how many civilians have died in this tragedy?

Some evil shit going on. The karmas gonna kick our ass.

[geobushono]

Thanks John, I look forward to seeing your film............just keep doin what you're doin..........there are millions of us out here applauding the voice you give to opposing this horror.

[WTFbush]

There is a very early U2 song titled, "I Threw a Brick Threw a Window". Find it , turn your speakers toward the street, play the mother*&%# real, real loud!

[WTFbush]

Thank you John for having the balls to make this movie. Offended??? Anyone that isn't offended by what has taken place over the last eight years has been living in a cacoon.

I truely miss what America stood for. I am not naive enough to think that we were all goodie two shoes, but this level of corporate greed at any cost is unprecedented.

We are living in very scary times.......as Bruce Springsteen sang, "It's gonna be a long walk home."

[hoopesaz]

It took "balls" to make this movie 5 years ago. Now? Not so much.

[Chemwiz]

I used to like Cusak when he was making fun teen movies in the 80s. Why is it that these wealthy hollywooders think that they can actually relate to the rest of the world. Why do americans kiss their a$$ and listen to their drivel.

They gripe about the society that we live in the the money that corporations make. They appear to care about people and ACT as if they want to help...but they have no idea what life is really like and when it comes down to it, they won't give up what they have to help others. They get rich from the freedoms that our country and soldiers provide, but they show little or no support. Even if you don't agree with the war, SHOW SOME FREAKING RESPECT AND SUPPORT...WE HAVE LOVED ONES OVER THERE FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY. Wait till they are all home to make these stupid movies that are a slap in the face to a mom and dad who just lost their son during the middle of a conflict!

[totalliberal]

Back to your pen you frickin sheep. Cusak makes a movie about the corporatization of our military and how they are feeding wars for enormous profit, yet you blather on about our troops in Iraq. Why don't you at least go and see the film before you feel the need to make a fool of yourself. If you are "really" behind our soldiers you'd be against how they are being used and exploited for profit. What is wrong with you? Grow the hell up.

[Chemwiz]

Sure...I suppose you're still upset that we stopped Hitler from taking over Europe too. You libs have no understanding of global econimics or what it takes to be a world superpower.
Your "just do what feels right" attitude is what has corrupted our society. Just look at pre 1960s and post 1970's....you're little "movement" taught kids to disrespect authority...now its becoming very damaging to our society.

[protagonia]

Mr Chemwiz

My father was one of those Liberals in WWII. He actually helped to liberate people. He agreed with the movement in the 60's because he knew the difference between a war that must be fought and one that is simply manufactured to use up ordinance, with America's "expendable" youth as the delivery system.

He was-and IS my hero.

You have been lied to about what a liberal is.

Of course, your pride forbids you to admit it. Liberals the braver version of a citizen. They work just as hard-for less money and STILL want to help out and share their wealth more than the greedy in this troubled nation, of which there are sadly, a great deal.

Less Greedy = Better Americans, plain and simple.

The greedy hate that fact and will do ANYTHING to mock and belittle the Liberal because they look bad by comparison. It is the only reason to put such effort into such skewed affronts.

[totalliberal]

Oh, and by the way, we "Libs" beat the crap out of Hitler. No understanding of world economics? I believe it was your little Hitler that put us 109 trillion in debt. Peace and love. What a horrible thing to wish for.

[totalliberal]

Just because you have delusions of grandeur you crazy old fart, it doesn't mean everyone wants to pay for your fantasies. You want to rule the frickin world with our out of control military-industrial cabal, use your own money. Me, I'd rather take care of Americans and spend the money here. Get a life you old fool.

[Alyonka]

What an actual word "offensive" is now! I wonder how lots of people feel its taste.
A man has opened the mouth and said: "No, i don't share your opinion.", showed a bravery, when told he's contra. That's better like a shit into ice-hole to plop, being not pro-those and not pro-others - to be able to change an opinion in any time. (nothing offensive! just russian mentality).
There are pluses and minuses, there are problems, but there's a great plus into the concrete. A man's opened his mouth and said.
Why a chaotic Brownian motion is so greeted? As a thought is more foggy as that's better. Concrete! Much more concrete. It's possible to explain everything into a pair of words. So, that will enrage anyway - you wait when a man say two the most important words, and he can't.
That's very cool - to fart and like an ostrich to put a head into the sand. What's a question to a butt? And what's about me - I've farted and smell my stink. Maybe someone else will like that. I'm a brave one.

[JoDeeVa]

Great inspiration, John with Robert Altman and Mash. Thanks for taking that outrage with Iraq and using it to make a statement that offends..no matter how offensive it is, it pales in comparison with the reality.
Yes! "Let's do something subversive!"

[OnTheCusp]

John Cusack's anti-establishment sentiment has long been his hallmark. I'm grateful he's got the guts, bucks, and desire to continue to push for consciousness and to poke at the power elite. I'm also glad he's so freakin' good loooking.
Ahem...
John and Joan Cusack have got to be the two most underrated talents in the world. That Joan's tv show was canceled while dreck like Everybody Loves Raymond floats, that John got screwed out of an extremely well deserved Oscar for High Fidelity is proof that, apparently, Americans prefer no to think to hard about anything.

[MissingAmerica]

I look forward to it, regardless of the offensive nature. After all, nothing could be as offensive as the real war, unless it's the administration that lied to start it!

[rivrgrrl]

Good for you, Mr Cusack.

Hopefully, others will follow suit and we won't have to wait until 10 years after the end of the occupation for the truth to set to film. Kudos to the other movie makers who are also attempting to expose the folly of this fiasco.

As with most things nowadays, money talks. Everyone, go see this film and recommend others do too.

[ctbutte]

I hope this fool pured all his teen movie money into this.

It should gross around 3 million worldwide.

Last good thing Cusak did was Gross Pointe blank how many years ago?

[PaulRaymond]

Making money, probably wasn't John's objective here. Artists tend to create for the sake of creation. Granted, there is a bottom line to be concerned with, but if it's the sole concern, one usually ends up with crap.
John is an excellent example of using one's resources to try and make things better. Perhaps, if we had an administration that genuinely cared about the world and the effect that we have on it, John and others wouldn't feel the need to make such films. And in turn, we wouldn't have to be subjected to inane comments, such as the ones that you have provided for us.

[Shaddup]

rebublicans don't understant doing anything, unless IT'S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY. That's why numerous corporate right wing ventures fail, no heart, all demographic propaganda. I am so looking forward to this movie--when I read the first interview, and mention of Naomi Klein, for some reason DOCTOR STRANGELOVE came to mind. I'm betting the ripoff righties will hate it. Screw 'em.

[Kundera]

An offensive movie made in Hollywood, I'M SHOCKED, SHOCKED, I TELLYA.

[zerocoma]

Better that than an offensive republican coward such as the ones you grovel before...

[sa]

if cheney can walk onto the senate floor,
and tell a senator
to "go fuck himself"
where does that leave the rest of us?
where is the starting point?

the bush administration set the tone -
and it was a treasonous all out battle.


"go fuck yourself" from the vice president to a senator,
was only the beginning -
they were willing to go treason
and out a cia officer who disagreed with their propaganda (ie. lies).

how could my language get me banned from huffington in the face of all this?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DontBanMeBro]

I was banned for calling Mrs. McCain "Cat Woman" because of her plastic surgery.

Never used an expletive in 3 years of posting. Never used instigating language. Never insulted, never denigrated. And then some unnamed, unseen, unaccountable webmaster banned me!!!

[Ramirez]

Not just you. They banned almost everyone. But check your old login. A lot of regulars are being reinstated. There may have been a general amnesty.

[w&cheneysuck]

Thank GOD that celebrities are putting the talent to good use; serving the greater good by pointing out the evils of our government. I saw Mr. Cusack on Bill Maher and he was brilliant! Love what you stand for and hope you continue to speak out; there are MILLIONS out here who agree with you!

[pokerfarian]

The only way we can change our society from its tendency to allow our "elected" representatives to allow "people" like Los Bushes to take what they want from whom they want, and make oodles of money from it in the process is to show them for what they are: sadistic, corpro-fascist war profiteers. Every story, article, book, TV episode, essay, song or movie that gets that word out contributes to our national healing - the first step in which is education of our populace. If it is entertaining, then so much the better.

We need more War, Inc.'s and Cusacks in our nation. If you have ever heard him interviewed, you would know that he is an intelligent, erudite, compassionate and thoughtful individual who is not some Hollywood airhead trying to sell their image. The Cusacks have always been activists for social justice and John carries on the family tradition. Bravo!

[sa]

i recently got banned from huffington post.
it turns out it was only a short ban.
i used extreme language to make extreme points.
i meant to shock a bit.
small language only had small effect.
i went for it.

but still, my language was tame
compared to what i really felt.
i should be allowed to say much more in america -
i should be allowed to say ANYTHING.


all the language i threw out there,
all the ideas,
were nothing compared to one soldier's eyes.
or one soldier's leg,
or, to say the least, the death of an innocent small girl in iraq -
who, in a conservative estimate, must range at about fifty thousand at this point -
probably more.

think of all the sweet crying little girls
bush has killed,
let alone their fathers - killed or wounded, or legs blown off,
or brain damage, or blinded, or without face.

all the language and ideas in the world
don't amount to a single one of their burdens,
and there are MILLIONS of them.

ㅠㅕ노 ㅡㅕㄴㅅ ㅠㄷ ㅏㅑㅣㅣㄷㅇ.

[Gumby123]

I'm sure John Cusack knows this but I doubt this movie will make much money at all.

[paixa3]

Gum, I have no doubts that he knows this. He is one of the few who walk the talk. I have to respect him for that.

[mamacat]

Haven't seen the movie, but it sounds like Mr. Cusack wanted to use this venue to vent. That's OK, certainly justified in light of how we got into this war, and what has been done to justify continueing it.

[kfdan]

Good anti-war films = MASH & CATCH 22

[CindyKay]

Talk About Offensive. Did You Know.

"In the landmark civil fraud case against Bill Clinton in Los Angeles, where the former President is charged with defrauding a Hollywood dot com millionaire to help Hillary Clinton obtain more than $1.2 million from him for her 2000 Senate campaign, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Aurelio Munoz ruled on Friday, April 25, 2008 that Hillary Clinton would not be required to testify in a sworn deposition as a material witness in the case until AFTER the November election!." (paulvclinton.com)

Here is the kicker - the judge is a Bill Clinton appointee!

[zerocoma]

And how's your patsy Alberto Gonzales doing these days? Oh yeah... no one trusts him enough to hire him. Try and get a clue.

[JoDeeVa]

CindyKay..Talk about offensive?..Puh-leeze!!
Once again, in noting your redundancy, I must respond likewise...
For HOW MANY days and On HOW MANY blog posts must we see this comment? Often not even germane to the topic. We get it.. you don't support Hillary Clinton!

Your redundancy is vapid, hackneyed, trite, ho-hum, droll, bland, dry, stale, insipid, mundane, banal, tiring, dreary, uninteresting, boring, jejune, mind-numbing, wearisome and irksome! See? ..say the same thing enough times and it loses its effectiveness!

You might want to try something a little more inspired and imaginative..it might actually be interesting and meaningful for us to read and you to create. Or, maybe you're just monkey-wrenching and don't want to be taken seriously? Good job!

[wolfgangmo]

Troll alert.

She has posted this in every story I have opened so far.

And she seems a little fuzzy on the use of question marks.

"Right wing talking point" much?

[Woggles]

John Cusack's great.

I'm looking forward to it.

[Sylvester]

Kudos to John Cusack, a man of talent and principles.

[PADDYWHACK]

Great actor,with the right attitude.

[rini]

There is nothing wrong with a movie that doesn't hurt anyone, but merely uses emotion and shock value to make a point about the war. Trust me, the movie CANNOT offend as much as the experience of the actual war.

[writerforhire]

I saw it. If he aims to offend. He hit the mark. If it is entertainment he is going for well . . .