Review of LBJ (2017) by Shpostal — 05 Nov 2017

Biopics are usually a bit of a gamble - they can be inspiring, bloated, historically slanted or just plain dull. History has relegated Lyndon Johnson to a position that is as polarizing as any one President ever was.

He was reviled for escalating Vietnam, although later came to regret it. But many people today are almost clueless about his insistence as the movie focuses on, passing comprehensive civil rights legislation that was first laid out by John F.

Kennedy. The description of the movie isn't accurate - there is no real mention of his days as a Democratic Senator from Texas other than the fact he was powerful and influential and really struggled with whether to run against Kennedy in 1960, which he eventually did, but was defeated in the primaries.

Woody Harrelson is a fine actor, and while none of the actors or actresses in this movie resemble their characters, we overlook that fact as he does a great job of playing Johnson - decisive, shrewd, able to play both sides equally well for a compromise that at that time Washington could actually work with.

Needless to say those days are gone, and we must shake our heads in disgust when we compare legislators of the past who actually had shreds of decency with the pathetic criminals that sit in those chairs today.

The pressure on Johnson was enormous, and Harrelson conveys that dynamic brilliantly. If the script is to be believed, Johnson was absolutely aghast and terrified of being placed in the White House as the result of assassination.

I severely doubt any conspiracy that mentions him as a possible player in the assassination. But while we get focus on civil rights and the stubbornness and idiocy of the American South lawmakers, a situation that hasn't changed much except for party affiliation, the film does not mention Vietnam except for the closing texts.

It is sad that director Rob Reiner opted to exclude the war, RFK's assassination and Johnson's shocking announcement not to run for a second term as president. For this I deduct two stars because it was the other half of this man's legacy, and in the interest of a complete truthful portrayal should have been covered.

Other than that, Harrelson steals the show, and approaches Oscar territory for a film that doesn't go on too long and doesn't get dull. We also are reminded that LBJ championed and succeeded in creating Medicare, Medicaid and the Headstart programs.

A very conflicting term as president, but pivotal in the fight for all peoples' civil rights.