Christian Bale is … Dick Cheney.
Huh?
It wouldn’t be the first time a casting choice left people scratching their heads. Heck, a few years ago John Cusack got attached to a Rush Limbaugh feature. That project never happened, though.
The Bale/Cheney biopic is a go, all the same. Director Adam McKay of “The Big Short” fame will focus on the powerful vice president. Bale will have some pretty good company. Other names in the mix for the movie include Amy Adams (Lynne Cheney) and Steve Carell (Donald Rumsfeld).
Not exactly dead ringers, right?
The odd pairings aren’t what should be of note for conservatives. It’s the man pulling the strings.
McKay is one of the most openly progressive talents in Hollywood. He’s a key force behind the hopelessly liberal “Funny or Die” comedy machine. That’s the same outfit that repeatedly went to bat for the flailing ObamaCare rollout and goes out of its way to ignore liberal targets.
“Funny or Die” refused to quit on President Barack Obama’s collapsing health care reform. The site later invited him to share his talking points on the “Between Two Ferns” mock talk show.
McKay also took part in the We the Economy effort. The collection of left-leaning videos launched to influence the 2014 midterm elections.
McKay is best known for directing comedies like “Anchorman” and “Step Brothers” with frequent collaborator Will Ferrell. But he often injects his belief system into his films.
He produced and wrote the story behind the 2013 comedy “The Campaign.” That film delivered a withering attack on the Koch brothers for using their cash to influence politics.
It’s funny that the story didn’t mention George Soros.
McKay directed the Ferrell/Mark Wahlberg comedy “The Other Guys.” That film inexplicably ended with a savage attack on Wall Street during the end credits. And McKay’s Oscar-winning “The Big Short” neglected to throw much blame for the 2008 financial crisis on liberal politicians pushing for home loans for folks who simply couldn’t afford them.
Perhaps his most ideological moment came with a movie that will never see the light of day. His production company briefly considered a comedy about a dementia-addled President Ronald Reagan. He swatted away criticism of the project, even though a leaked script showed it was just as offensive as one might imagine given the subject matter.
So what will he do with Vice President Cheney?
It’s darn near impossible to see McKay telling the Cheney saga in a straightforward fashion. That’s not to say Cheney deserves protection or should be deified on screen.
Those hoping for an impartial look at the politician’s lengthy career in public service will likely come away disappointed.
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