Vice (2018 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Motion picture |
| Founded | December 25, 2018 |
| Founder | Adam McKay |
| Products | Biographical black comedy film |
Vice is a 2018 American biographical film and black comedy film crafted by Adam McKay, who directed, wrote, and produced the project. The ensemble cast stars Christian Bale portraying former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney, with supporting roles filled by Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell, Justin Kirk, Tyler Perry, Alison Pill, Lily Rabe, and Jesse Plemons. The narrative traces Cheney's ascent to becoming the most influential vice president in American history, merging elements of political satire with biographical storytelling.
Distributed in the United States on December 25, 2018, through Annapurna Pictures, Vice generated $76 million globally against a production budget of $60 million, resulting in modest box office returns. Critical responses were divided, ranging from enthusiastic acclaim to sharp criticism; however, the performances received widespread recognition. McKay’s direction and screenplay attracted both commendation and negative feedback. The film garnered multiple honors, including eight nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, securing the award for Best Make-Up and Hairstyling. Additionally, it achieved six nominations each at the 76th Golden Globe Awards and the 72nd British Academy Film Awards. Bale, Adams, and Rockwell earned acting nods across these ceremonies, with Bale winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Plot
The story of Vice is presented through the perspective of Kurt, a fictional veteran who served in both the Afghan and Iraq conflicts.
In 1963, Dick Cheney works as a lineman in Wyoming after leaving Yale University prematurely. Following an incident involving driving under the influence, his wife Lynne encourages him to change his ways. By 1969, Cheney secures a position as a White House intern under President Nixon, collaborating closely with economic adviser Donald Rumsfeld. He gains insight into executive power during confidential talks about bombing Cambodia. After Nixon resigns in 1974, Cheney advances to White House Chief of Staff under President Ford while Rumsfeld assumes the role of Secretary of Defense—a cabinet reshuffle known as the Halloween Massacre. During this time, Antonin Scalia introduces Cheney to the concept of the unitary executive theory.
Following Ford’s defeat to Jimmy Carter in 1976, Cheney campaigns for a congressional seat representing Wyoming but suffers a heart attack amid his efforts. Lynne takes up campaigning on his behalf, ultimately securing his election to the House of Representatives. Under President Reagan’s administration, Cheney supports conservative pro-business initiatives favoring fossil fuels and advocates for abolishing the FCC fairness doctrine—a move that contributed to Fox News’s emergence and increased political polarization. Later, he serves as Secretary of Defense during George H.W. Bush’s presidency throughout the Gulf War. He faces family challenges when his daughter Mary comes out as a lesbian and eventually retires from public office due to poor presidential poll numbers and to shield Mary from media attention.
Cheney then assumes leadership as CEO of Halliburton while Lynne dedicates herself to breeding golden retrievers and authoring books. The film humorously implies he enjoys a contented period in private industry before reentering politics.
He accepts an invitation to be George W. Bush’s vice-presidential candidate in the 2000 election on conditions that Bush delegate substantial executive power to him and refrain from involving him in party politics opposing gay rights. As vice president, Cheney works alongside Rumsfeld, legal advisor David Addington, Mary Matalin, and Chief of Staff Scooter Libby to steer critical decisions on foreign policy and defense.
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, Cheney and Rumsfeld orchestrate U.S. military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq. The film depicts key moments such as Cheney’s advocacy for the unitary executive theory, involvement in the Plame affair, an accidental shooting incident involving Harry Whittington, and familial conflicts over same-sex marriage. His policies contribute to hundreds of thousands of casualties and facilitate the rise of ISIS, culminating in historically low approval ratings by Bush’s administration conclusion.
As Cheney delivers a farewell monologue following another heart attack, Kurt dies in a car accident; his healthy heart is transplanted into Cheney. Liz opposes same-sex marriage while campaigning for Senate in 2014 without objection from Cheney, causing Mary to distance herself from her family. Liz wins election to her father’s former House seat in 2016. The movie concludes with Cheney addressing the audience directly to assert he harbors no regrets about his political trajectory.
A mid-credit scene features focus group participants debating both the film’s impact and the Trump administration while others prefer discussing the newest installment of Fast & Furious.
Production
On November 22, 2016, it was revealed that Paramount Pictures had secured the rights to produce a drama centered on Dick Cheney, with Adam McKay attached as both screenwriter and director. The production team included Plan B executives Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner, alongside McKay and his partners from Gary Sanchez, Will Ferrell and Kevin Messick. Christian Bale joined the project in April 2017, undergoing a weight gain of 40 pounds (18 kg) for his portrayal.
By August 22, Bill Pullman was cast to play Nelson Rockefeller, although his scenes did not appear in the final cut. At that time, the film carried the working title Backseat, which was later changed to Vice. Sam Rockwell was added to the cast by August 31 to embody George W. Bush. In September 2017, Adam Bartley also joined the ensemble.
Filming commenced in late September 2017. In October, Tyler Perry and Lily Rabe were brought on board to portray Colin Powell and Liz Cheney respectively.
Release
The movie debuted at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater located in Beverly Hills, California, on December 11, 2018.
Vice was released across Canada and the United States on December 25, 2018, coinciding with the release of Holmes & Watson. Its original release date was planned for December 14, 2018. The United Kingdom saw its release on January 25, 2019, followed by launches throughout most of Europe and Hong Kong during February 2019.
The film became available for purchase on Blu-ray Disc and DVD through 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment starting April 2, 2019.
Box office
Vice earned $47.8 million domestically in the United States and Canada, with an additional $28.2 million internationally, culminating in a global total of $76.1 million against a production budget of $60 million. As of May 2024, Variety reported that the film did not achieve profitability.
Opening on Christmas Day alongside Holmes & Watson in North America, it was anticipated to generate approximately $13 million from 2,378 theaters over six days. The film’s first-day revenue reached $4.8 million, followed by $2.9 million on day two. Its opening weekend grossed $7.8 million with a cumulative six-day total of $17.7 million. According to The Hollywood Reporter, strongest performances occurred along both U.S. coasts as well as solid turnout in cities such as Dallas, Houston, and Phoenix. The second weekend brought in $5.8 million while the third weekend added $3.3 million.
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Vice holds an approval rating of based on reviews with an average score of . The critical consensus reads: "Vice may take aim somewhat broadly at its subjects, but writer-director Adam McKay lands several impactful shots—and Christian Bale’s transformation is remarkable." On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 61 out of 100 from 54 critics, reflecting "generally favorable reviews". Audience polling via CinemaScore assigned it a "C+", while PostTrak reported a 72% positive rating with 49% indicating a definite recommendation. Despite this reception, Vice ranks among the least critically acclaimed films ever nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Performances by Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Sam Rockwell received widespread praise and garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Supporting Actor respectively.
The Hollywood Reporter critic Todd McCarthy, who named it his top film of 2018, lauded the ensemble cast for delivering a political satire that skillfully blends humor with poignant realities. Eric Kohn from IndieWire awarded it a "B−", describing it as "ambitious though somewhat chaotic," highlighting its daring examination of Cheney’s political strategies. The Guardian’’ reviewer Peter Bradshaw gave it four out of five stars, emphasizing Bale’s depiction of Cheney’s understated yet commanding presence.
Peter Travers of Rolling Stone rated the film four stars out of five, calling it "bitingly humorous" yet somber in tone—an incisive critique of past political decisions through sharp satire.
On the other hand, Stephanie Zacharek writing for Time critiqued the film as "wearisome," portraying Cheney more as a caricature than a nuanced figure. Ikon London Magazine acknowledged the excellence in makeup effects but found the storyline reminiscent of a witch hunt narrative.
From The Washington Post, Ann Hornaday praised Bale’s acting but criticized the film's uneven pacing and lack of cohesive structure, awarding it two out of five stars for its limited depth. Similarly, Scott Mendelson at Forbes recognized strong individual performances but deemed the overall work a "cinematic mediocrity."
Historical inaccuracies
Several scenes in the movie have been identified as either historically incorrect, overly dramatized, or presented without sufficient context. According to Politifact, the distinction between factual history and artistic interpretation becomes unclear in certain sequences.
One example involves Cheney’s decision to work for Illinois's 13th district Congressman Donald Rumsfeld following his admiration of Rumsfeld’s speech during a 1969 congressional internship. In truth, Cheney was already involved with the Republican Party and was introduced to Rumsfeld by Congressman William A. Steiger from Wisconsin's 6th district to join Rumsfeld’s team when he served as Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity. Additionally, Rumsfeld brought along Frank Carlucci, a fellow Princeton alumnus, to assist Cheney. Carlucci later succeeded Rumsfeld as Director. Notably, all three—Rumsfeld, Cheney, and Carlucci—would eventually hold the position of United States Secretary of Defense.
Another significant scene portraying Cheney discussing the expansion of executive power with Antonin Scalia during the mid-1970s is fictionalized. Although Cheney advocated for greater presidential authority, the film inaccurately attributes the "theory of the unitary executive" to this period; the term itself did not emerge until the late 1980s. Politifact highlights that the movie mischaracterizes this theory by implying it supports unlimited presidential powers, whereas it actually refers to presidential control over the executive branch.
Director Adam McKay faced criticism for downplaying Democratic accountability regarding the Iraq War within the film—a point he later conceded was an error. In 2022, McKay admitted that he should have placed more responsibility on Democrats who endorsed the conflict.
Responses from Cheney family
Liz Cheney, daughter of Dick Cheney and a Congresswoman herself, expressed disapproval of Christian Bale’s depiction of her father in Vice. Speaking on Fox & Friends, she remarked that Bale "finally had the chance to play a real superhero, and he clearly screwed it up." Liz also criticized Bale’s Golden Globe acceptance speech in which he thanked Satan for inspiring his portrayal of Cheney.
Accolades
Vice garnered numerous awards and nominations, leading with six Golden Globe Awards nominations at the 76th ceremony—the highest number for any film that year—with Bale winning Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. The movie received eight nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, securing a win for Best Make-Up and Hairstyling. It also achieved nine nods at the 24th Critics' Choice Awards, where Bale won both Best Actor and Best Actor in a Comedy categories; six nominations at the 72nd British Academy Film Awards, including a win for Best Editing; and four nominations at the 8th AACTA International Awards.