Review of W. (2008) by Sergej M — 04 Jul 2009
What a great 4th of July film, a film that makes you proud to be American. Oliver Stone masterfully directs a fairy tale story of man set to prove his father wrong, that he's not a world class f*ck up but can be the President just like his dad, and in fact be a BETTER president, by going after a crazy dictator that tried to kill his dad. But as it turns out, screws up the war, the economy and his Dad ends up being disappointed in him. "If this were played upon a stage I would condemn it as improbable fiction.".
It almost seems to good to be true, but unfortunately this movie is a biopic and George W. Bush really was our president. Though it seems more like a fairy tale living in a rational Obama world. Criticisms I have are few, one being some of the cabinet performances (Thandie Newton as Rice and Jeffrey Wright at Powell seemed like imitations, whereas Richard Dreyfuss and Toby Jones were channeling their maniacal counterparts.) Brolin is a BRILLIANT Bush, and in the end even the Bush haters will have sympathy for this portrayal, not for the daddy issues, but for truly being played by all sides, even by Bush Sr. (Sorry papa Bush, your hands are not clean).
All in all, definitely essential to kind of put the last 8 years into perspective.
This review of W. (2008) was written by Sergej M on 04 Jul 2009.
W. has generally received mixed reviews.
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