Review of W. (2008) by Todd W — 05 Sep 2009

Huge disappointment. This movie doesn't seem to approve of or condemn Bush's presidency. Normally, objectivity would be respectable. But, the movie seems to ride the fence so carefully, I can't tell if it's meant to be a documentary, a spoof, a comedy, or a drama.

It's not informative, funny, profound, or anything else really. Ultimately, the movie just feels empty & pointless and has a horribly unsatisfying ending.

The performances are sometimes good, but again, I can't tell if the actors are trying to spoof the real life counterparts or not. If they're not meant to be spoofs, then Thandie Newton is *horrible* as Condoleezza Rice, and Jeffrey Wright misses the mark as Colin Powell. Everyone else in the movie, despite how talented they may normally be, also seem to be mis-cast and/or mis-directed, including Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, and Ioan Gruffudd as Tony Blair. James Cromwell almost hits the mark as GHW Bush Sr., but his accent noticeably comes & goes. Josh Brolin as GW Bush, I'll have to admit, is the one saving grace of the movie in terms of performances.

If you hate Bush, this movie won't help you hate him any more. If you like Bush, this movie won't help justify that. If you're somewhere in the middle, this movie won't make up your mind. If you just want to be entertained, it won't quite pull that off either. It's not quite horrible enough to dismiss entirely, but I can't recommend it either. (Overall Average: C-).