Review of W. (2008) by Armonda. — 26 Oct 2008

While this film doesn't offer the viewer any new information, it does assemble the pieces we have all seen before into an interesting and plausible account of the man who many consider the worst US President in a long list populated with few heroes, numerous mediocrities, and a good bunch of failures.

There is something morbidly fascinating about someone who has done so badly in such high office. Stone's timing in bringing out this film has been questioned by some, but one might say that it would have been very interesting to have gotten an account of the captain of the Titanic while standing on the deck of the ship as it slipped lower and lower into the icy ocean.

Adding to the dark humor are the performances of several of the supporting players. Let me single out Thandie Newton's stunning interpretation of Condoleezza Rice as a fawning, servile Aunt Jemima, and Richard Dreyfuss as a ferociously intense schemer.

Like many, I don't know what, exactly, to make of this film, but it really is a thoughtful piece, and it has some very clever moments. If you're one of the 25% of the populace who still consider the real W's job performance acceptable, then you're not going to enjoy this movie.

For the rest of us it's an intriguing and amusing effort by a very good craftsman.