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"W." Review

by Jane Boursaw on October 19th, 2008

What a mess this movie is! I went into it with no political preconceptions or expectations, and was squirming in my seat half-way through. “W.” is boring and lethargic, and I couldn’t tell if it was supposed to be a parody or an intelligent movie about the current President’s life. Most of the time, it just felt like a bad “Saturday Night Live” skit.

More after the jump…

The story jumps back and forth in time. At times, we’re in the current day, with President George W. Bush (Josh Brolin) struggling through difficult decisions about the Iraqi war and other issues, surrounded by his advisors. Then it jumps back to his younger days of partying hard, drinking lots, driving drunk, and carousing with the ladies.

We’re led to believe that President Bush is haunted by his inadequacies and failure to measure up to his dad’s high expectations. Jeb Bush (Jason Ritter) is the one George Bush senior is pegging the family name on, and the one he expects to go the distance to the White House. But it’s George Jr. who presses forward to the highest office, after meandering aimlessly through odd jobs his “poppy” got for him. George Sr. also buys Jr.’s way out of jail and an unplanned pregnancy of a girlfriend early on.

But the movie is very over-the-top, and as I mentioned, you’re never really sure if this is supposed to be a parody or a serious story. Brolin certainly has all the mannerisms down, from the President’s awkward laugh to his squinting to the way he walks and talks. A few times, you’ll think you’re looking at the President, not Josh Brolin playing the President. 

The supporting cast includes Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, always in a bit of a power struggling with the President; Toby Jones as Karl Rove, always lurking in the shadows and offering his advice; and Thandie Newton as Condoleeza Rice. Her performance is the most parodied of them all, always twitching and grimacing like she’s constipated or something. Very weird.

Elizabeth Banks turns in a good performance as Laura Bush, and James Cromwell plays George Bush Sr., always hounding his son with “I’m disappointed” speeches. The two come to knock-down-drag-out fights at various points.

But most of the acting and back-and-forth storytelling are jumbled and superficial. And is the President that much of a dunce? I know some would say yes, but I have a hard time believing he’s as dumb as this movie makes him out to be. 

If Oliver Stone is aiming to swing votes to the democratic side in the upcoming election, I think he’ll only succeed in irking people with this weird movie.

Images: W., Lionsgate, 2008

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