Review of W. (2008) by Alexh — 18 Oct 2008
The reviews seem to be mixed, first of all, because lots of critics are automatically suspicious of Oliver Stone, as they have been for years. But "W" doesn't include much of the speculative ('unofficial history') material characteristic of "JFK" and to a lesser extent "Nixon".
Secondly, everyone has their own strong opinion of Bush and what a movie about him should be like in terms of its political slant. Those in his devoted ~20% fan base won't be happy, but neither will liberals eager to see an angry hit piece.
The film is a real, human drama that is both funny and tragic, and focuses primarily on the relationship between father and son. But while I'll argue that the film is generally accurate and sympathetic, I won't say it's entirely unbiased or apolitical.
Two sequences seem for me to be especially relevant to the current election: W's reaction to his loss in a 1978 congressional race ('I'll never be out-Texaned or out-Christianed again') and Cheney's explanation of his real motives for invading and occupying Iraq.
This review of W. (2008) was written by Alexh on 18 Oct 2008.
W. has generally received mixed reviews.
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