Movie Review: W.
Given the subject, I expected something more scathing or at least funny. Given the director, Oliver Stone, I was expecting it to be long. It was. Most of the first half of the film is a disjointed mix of present day and flashbacks. The flashbacks cover some of his college years, a glimpse of his time with Arbusto Drilling Co., his early days with Laura and politics and a recurring allegory with his time as an owner of the Texas Rangers.
Josh Brolin portrays Bush as a heavy drinker until he finds religion, who even when sober still seems oblivious to everything outside of the moment. The overarching story of the whole film is his relationship with his Poppy, and his struggle to gain his approval. It seems as if it's the only thing that really gets to him. Much of the present day material concentrates on the run up to, and the early years of, the war in Iraq. The weight it's given in comparison to the rest of the story (Poppy and politics) seems light and insulting. Stone could have gone for the jugular on Iraq, but chose instead to play it safe in attempt to placate the few audience members that still support the most unpopular President in modern history.
Richard Dreyfuss, I would imagine, had a great time playing Dick Cheney. He's found his Halloween costume for the rest of his life. He nailed it. Thandie Newton steals the show to an extent with her comically stiff and deadpan version of Condi Rice. Bruce McGill, who's one of those guys that you've seen in a few movies before but never remember, plays George Tenet perfectly. He was born to play this role like Richard Paul was born to play Jerry Falwell. Rob Corddry, of Daily Show fame, plays former Middlebury College Student and original Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer a little too well. George Sr. and Barbara played by James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn are decent performances given the material they had to work with.
To be honest, I went in wanting Bush to be skewered by Stone. I'm not sure if it was Brolin or Stone who made me feel sorry for Bush a few times during the movie, but I think the director should take the hit for that. Because of the sympathetic and flaccid storytelling I felt a little ripped-off. That one is definitely on Stone.
Score: 2.5 out 5
Steve McIntyreJosh Brolin portrays Bush as a heavy drinker until he finds religion, who even when sober still seems oblivious to everything outside of the moment. The overarching story of the whole film is his relationship with his Poppy, and his struggle to gain his approval. It seems as if it's the only thing that really gets to him. Much of the present day material concentrates on the run up to, and the early years of, the war in Iraq. The weight it's given in comparison to the rest of the story (Poppy and politics) seems light and insulting. Stone could have gone for the jugular on Iraq, but chose instead to play it safe in attempt to placate the few audience members that still support the most unpopular President in modern history.
Richard Dreyfuss, I would imagine, had a great time playing Dick Cheney. He's found his Halloween costume for the rest of his life. He nailed it. Thandie Newton steals the show to an extent with her comically stiff and deadpan version of Condi Rice. Bruce McGill, who's one of those guys that you've seen in a few movies before but never remember, plays George Tenet perfectly. He was born to play this role like Richard Paul was born to play Jerry Falwell. Rob Corddry, of Daily Show fame, plays former Middlebury College Student and original Bush Press Secretary Ari Fleischer a little too well. George Sr. and Barbara played by James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn are decent performances given the material they had to work with.
To be honest, I went in wanting Bush to be skewered by Stone. I'm not sure if it was Brolin or Stone who made me feel sorry for Bush a few times during the movie, but I think the director should take the hit for that. Because of the sympathetic and flaccid storytelling I felt a little ripped-off. That one is definitely on Stone.
Score: 2.5 out 5
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