Friday
17Oct2008
Movie Review - 'W.'
Friday, October 17, 2008 at 12:02AM | W.
Starring Josh Brolin, Richard Dreyfuss, James Cromwell, and Elizabeth Banks  |
When asked in the later stage of
W. what his legacy will be, President Bush
replies, "In history, we'll all be dead." And history will no doubt judge Bush
for his actions during a most difficult time in American history. Some would say
Bush brought a lot of those problems on himself, while others will believe he
did what he had to do, despite the possibilities of failure that might have
existed at the time. The movie lends some credence to the idea that Bush has
faced consequences his whole life, and has done just whatever the hell he was
going to, anyway.Director Oliver Stone, who I think we can agree is no supporter of the President, nonetheless presents him in a fair light. Perhaps that should be a fair but harsh spotlight, because at no point in his life has George W. Bush been allowed to simply be the regular guy he almost certainly is. The spotlight has always been on him. His grandfather was a senator, his father a congressman, CIA man, Vice President, and President. All W. wanted to do was be around baseball. But he felt that wasn't enough.
The film is not strictly about Bush's troubled presidency nor is it strictly about his troubled past as a lazy carouser. What it is about is how W. has remained himself no matter what obstacles he faced, even the gravest ones. As W., Josh Brolin gives an astonishing performance that never borders on an impersonation. That's tough to do given that Bush is probably the most recognizable person in the world at the moment. Yet Brolin manages to convey a worn-in comfort Bush feels with himself while projecting how much he struggles with the world around him, whether it's seeking his father's approval, or drinking, or torture policy.
Most of the cast is good, particularly Dreyfuss and Wright. Thandie Newton never seems at ease, but maybe Rice herself is never at ease. The politics at work is powerful stuff, but I understand that Stone wanted to show how we got here rather than just critiquing the current landscape. The film is satirical without going for cheap jokes or being nonsensical. I didn't love how Bush's more memorable quotes were thrown in seemingly willy-nilly to punctuate how over his head he might be. Maybe he told Dick Cheney in private that he's the decider, but we remember that quote differently, and placing these Easter eggs throughout the script didn't enhance the overall message.
Like Bush, Oliver Stone has his fans and detractors. Maybe that's part of the reason he was drawn to the subject. He is sympathetic to this man throughout the film, and never veers into the territory of stealing the 2000 election or failing to respond to Katrina or even making "the wrong decision" about Iraq. It's a glancing blow - more of a stinging portrait of the people who held sway over Bush from a personal and professional standpoint - but it isn't savage.
Colin Boyd | Permalink | in Bio-pic, Josh Brolin, Oliver Stone, Reviews, W | Print Article | Email Article | 1 Comment | Share Article
Reader Comments (1)
Josh Brolin did a convincing Dubya, though he reminded me a lot of his cowboy character from No Country for Old Men... over all, i don't doubt that 'W.' will have the effect Oliver Stone desired