Review of W. (2008) by Jack S — 12 Sep 2009

Startlingly accurate, poignant, and at times sad, Oliver Stone's "W." presents the adult life of George W. Bush (Josh Brolin) before and during his presidency. In the present, the film shows the Bush administration coming to the conclusion of going to war in Iraq, while flashing back to show us the man who would eventually become President of the United States. Brolin plays Bush as a man desperate to find purpose and please his family, especially his father, George H. W. Bush (James Cromwell), who sees his son as a sorry excuse for a son, a disgrace, and a failure. Few people believe in George Jr., the most notable being his wife, Laura (Elizabeth Banks), who gives him the love he needs.

I am neither a fan of George Bush nor am I a critic. Unlike many of my friends, peers, and fellow Americans, I had little preconceptions going in on how I thought the film would play out. I went to see it simply because it was about such a controversial figure still in office: at the time "W." opened, November 2008 elections had yet to occur. Nevertheless, I can say that I was surprised. Normally anything said about Bush is one-sided, but the film showed him as a multi-dimensional person rather than as a one-dimensional person. Whether it was Oliver Stone's directing or Josh Brolin's acting, Bush is shown as a deeply-flawed individual struggling to do what he believes is right. Many will see the depiction of Bush as that of a hapless idiot who is simply too incompetent to know how badly he's done. Fewer will see that the president is as Benjamin Franklin said "A man, not God". And I saw that Bush is the way he is not because he seems to lack intelligence, but because he is human. He misspeaks, is easily confused, and stumbles through tense situations. He is human like someone is nervous before a first date or job interview, noticeably insecure because he fears failure and the possibility and letting people (and himself) down. Looking at it objectively, it really is an amazing accomplishment how Bush rose above his flaws (and they were many) to achieve what he did, running a successful campaign for his father, and going on to win two presidential campaigns of his own.

As much as the film is aware of Bush's disadvantages, it is also even-handed because it is fully aware of his advantages. Bush came from what was practically a dynasty. His father pulled strings so that he could get in to both Harvard and Yale, but what the film shows is that he did so not because he loved his son, but because George Sr. sought to keep the Bush name (and ultimately himself) free from embarrassment. James Cromwell plays George H. W. Bush as the distantly-caring antagonist (if there is one), who's passed George Jr. off as a screw up and a drunk. George Sr.'s constant disappointment is what drives George Jr. to seek governorship and presidency.

People looking to see the film should not expect to see the journey of Bush's career but rather the journey of his character. That's mainly how the film is structured. A couple changes have been made to the DVD that weren't in the theatrical release, and I believe for the better. The most notable change that I saw (or rather heard) was the addition of music to the film's ending, where Bush stands before a press conference. In theaters, it was dead silent except for the dialogue.

I was also amazed to see the reality (and this is why I say the film is startlingly accurate) of how much pressure was on Bush. I don't know if I could've survived some of the things he had to face: the unforgiving media, the relentless (and all-too-true) attacks from opponents, and the horrible shame of defeat. For all his many flaws, Bush learned how to become strong and remain strong under the heavy weight of the presidency. You are the idiot if you think it is not heavy.

Honestly, this movie didn't change my opinion of Bush: I am still not a cheering fan nor am I a jeering critic. But I feel now like I understand a little better who is George W. Bush. Four stars all the way.