W.
posted October 8, 2008 2:25 PM
Audiences shouldn't misunderestimate Stone's W.
“Controversial” has been the watchword for the work of director Oliver Stone almost since the beginning of his career. From his directorial debut, the little seen Last Year in Viet Nam (1971), through films including but not limited to Salvador (1986), Wall Street (1987), Talk Radio (1988) and, of course, his most biting, JFK (1991) and Nixon (1995), Oliver Stone films have been known for walking along, stumbling across and scrubbing out the line that separates acceptable license in fiction filmmaking and outright making things up. Truth be told, Ollie hasn’t been particularly controversial for sometime now. World Trade Center (2006) was downright patriotic (if not very compelling), and mass-appeal flicks like Alexander (2004) and Any Given Sunday (1999), with their gay over- and undertones amounted to little more than run-of-the-mill studio poo; controversial only in that they were so … bad. W. may fairly return the mantle of “maverick” filmmaker to Mr. Stone, though he and screenwriter and long-time associate Stanley Weiser have resorted to making a few things up again. Still what’s most interesting about W. is that the bits cut from whole cloth are those that offer the film’s titular “protagonist” the benefit of the doubt. Benefit enough, this critic thinks, that money will be made in both red and blue states—except Texas. They’re going to hate this movie in Texas.
Opening with a youngish George W. Bush (the not-young-enough Josh Brolin nevertheless has the body to pull this off) in the midst of a fairly brutal hazing involving alcohol and underwear as a Yale undergrad pledging his father’s fraternity, Stone has W. displaying an astounding feat of memory and the ability to work under pressure. One supposes there are ways that the filmmakers might have found corroborating eyewitness accounts for this four-decades-old event. If it ever happened at all, it is an example of the filmmakers offering the 43rd president the benefit of previously mentioned doubt. It’s Stones way of saying, “He’s not that dumb,” or perhaps it’s his way of saying, “He’s not that dumb”—either way, it’s not the most apocryphal moment in the movie.
In short order, we find ourselves in a rather elliptical film that moves back and forth through time loosely encompassing the period ranging from George W.’s wild and raucous youth in the oil fields of West Texas to the period when things begin to go badly in Iraq, including most of the major events in between. We see the future president’s first failed run for Congress, in which he’s labeled a carpetbagger and declares that will never happen to him again. We see him as a young operative in Bush Senior’s White House, where he witnesses his father win a war and lose an election; which he declares will never happen to him. We see him in the Texas good-old-boy network with Karl Rove (Toby Jones, The Mist), where he aggregates to guide the would-be heir to the Bush legacy first to the State House and finally to the White House, by whatever means necessary. Amidst this, Stone and company are not without opinion or insight. What they reveal is a collection of individuals who are in fact ruthless, diabolical and determined well beyond what might be considered fair game even in the world of high-stakes politics. These people, by Stone’s measure, are dastardly right down to the moustache wax.
When W. finds itself in relatively contemporary times (post 9/11), the nation is reeling and angry, and decisions are being made that will affect the future in which we now reside. What Stone postulates is a cabal that is hell-bent on doing two things—going to war in Iraq and winning a second term.
As the film takes us inside the War Room and Oval Office, where we witness meetings between the Cabinet and the president as well as between the president and individual members of his administration (particularly Richard Dreyfuss’ Dick Cheney), we are offered a president who is less bumbling than simply ill-informed and fundamentally incapable of understanding nuance—not that any nuance is offered. Indeed, it is the Masters of the Universe, including Cheney, Wolfowitz (Dennis Boutsikaris), Rumsfeld (Scott Glenn), Rice (Thandie Newton with prosthetic mouthpiece and mole) and Tenet (Bruce McGill) who offer the homey bromides that George W. not only endorses, but actually manages to understand—“slam dunk,” et al. Brolin’s Bush, as filtered through Stone, seems to genuinely hope these simplistic reductions are true, and if they aren’t, that things will work out, anyway, since God is on his side.
God plays both a literal and metaphorical role in Stone’s W.. From the President’s well-documented conversion from dedicated heathen (in what the director plays as a literal and also apocryphal roadside conversion with blinding light and piercing chest pains that leaves the man a cold-turkey dry drunk and true believer), to his direct line to the Almighty who, not apocryphally, told George W. Bush to go to war. It’s surreal, and Stone plays it exactly that way.
If there is a single player on this stage who offers some measure of reason (since God was plainly irrational), and is thus the recipient of some measure of empathy, it’s Colin Powell, who as portrayed by the right honorable Jeffery Wright is thoughtful, sincere and, for the most part, duped. But this isn’t completely true—General Powell is ultimately held to one moment of accounting, a personal test that he fails.
Indeed, depending on one’s point of view, George W. himself is also offered a measure of backhanded empathy on the part of the filmmakers. Effectively, George W. Bush is summed up this way in Stones’ accounting of his life: W. is the story of a moderately intelligent, personally shallow, serial failure with a daddy complex whose driving impetus reflects nothing more than an unyielding desire for his father’s love.
While the life and times of George W. Bush are likely a good deal more complicated than that, for the moment, and in the context of a biopic, which are notoriously bad devices for this sort of accounting, that assessment will have to be good enough—if not particularly satisfying.
Distributor: Lionsgate
Cast: Josh Brolin, Toby Jones, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Richard Dreyfuss, Dennis Boutsikaris, Scott Glenn, Thandie Newton, Bruce McGill and Elizabeth Banks
Director: Oliver Stone
Screenwriter: Stanley Weiser
Producers: Bill Block, Moritz Borman, Paul Hanson and Eric Kopeloff
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13 for language including sexual references, some alcohol abuse, smoking and brief disturbing war images
Running time: 110 min.
Release date: October 17, 2008
29 Comments
Leave a comment
Anonymous said:
your crtique is way off. Not only is this movie not a slight bit entertaining but simply lies and propoganda, demoralizing the president without any sufficient evidence. Oliver stone has a history of not only distorting the truth in any of his most recent work but he, himself has been an anti-american trademark for a series of liberal movies putting our country down and forcing hate upon the public. Luckily for him he lives in a country that gives the opportunity to say what he wants. This movie is straight horrible, untrue, and unentertaining and I do not value your input as a film critic anymore!
October 11, 2008 11:41 PM
R Ebert said:
Without sufficient evidence? What country do you live in?
"and I do not value your input as a film critic anymore"
Those indignant words could only have been penned by a geriatric dyed in the wool, wrapped-in-the flag, head-in-the-sand, right wingnut who hasn't gone to a movie for years and was lured to the cinema with hopes of seeing a film that glorified their hero. My guess is that Mr or Mrs Anonymous has probably never valued or even read Tim Cogshell's review's before.
I have no comment on the film or review as I haven't seen it (but I did hear that speeches were taken directly from transcripts of news conferences).
And please don't watch my TV show. It would be over your head.
October 12, 2008 12:45 PM
Paul "GringoLatino" said:
First, the first reviewer is definitely a Republican! I am too, BUT I am smart enough to know the B-S the GOP has installed on this country; I have held a position with the party. Have assisted for 30 yearsa, and got zilch, as did this country. I KNOW "the brother". (Pics to prove) . OH! The Republican party LOVES child abusers, LOVE people who do perjury, AND Republicans LOVE illegal immigration! Before you say anything, check it out; I LIVED it with my ex! I asked them for help, they either did not respond, or one Republican wrote "Not my district; call the Democrat". BUT the Dems (even Clinton, Schumer) all asked if they could help me. GOP turned their backs on me/us! By the way, this illegal CAME THROUGH ALASKA! Wish the Dems would use me to dispute the Republicans; cannot accuse me of liberal DEmocrat; I am still regitered as a Republican! They screwed me and my parents! (Won't go into it) After years of volunteering and giving money! I even was in Bush SR's motorcade, was a VIP videographer. I was supposed to meet the President in 2004, but idiot GOP, after helping with events (if I did, I would meet), did not. I am looking forward to this movie, to see how the Republicans are idiots (like we know that already). Especially that stupid woman who accused Obama of being an Arab! It is like I saying: white people are stupid aholes (crackers), who love the KKK! I am for black people and latinos; in my life, whites have screwed me, but blacks and latinos have helped me, even career wise! Anyway, Stone is a great filmmaker. I want to see this film on the first day. Thank you. OH! I bet the first "critic", did not even see the movie yet! Leave it to this critic, who IS Republican, most likely, to say he hates it; he probably LOVES the IDIOT President! Buddy, I know the brother! They are all idiots. AND this idiot fked up America! This Bush in power now, is the WORST President we ever had! Under Reagan, I was SO PATRIOTC! I LOVED Reagan! The BEST President we ever had! But with this guy Bush now, I do dislike America for fking me! The illegal got the citizenship, passport, and got away with child abuse/neglect, adult abuse, perjury, arrest warrant from INS, YET I cannot access a passport due to this illegal alien and the Republican party! And I lost my 17 year job due to this illegal! And due to the GOP for not doing their job! Anyway, later, bye for now. -Paul "gringoLatino"
October 12, 2008 8:23 PM
Bill Jones said:
The man went to war in Iraq to avenge his father's honor, since Sadaam Hussein purportedly tried to have Bush the Elder assassinated. Hussein and his two sons were assassinated instead.
What more evidence of a "daddy complex" does one need?
October 12, 2008 8:29 PM
Anonymous said:
Bill, you don't seem to know what the word "evidence" even means.
October 12, 2008 9:09 PM
WTF?! said:
lol how long did R Ebert take to finish typing that? prolly about 30 minutes. look man, u dont have to write everything in such a pretentious manner to show off your intelligence...just talk normal, u sound like a douche-bot lol
October 12, 2008 11:22 PM
mwc said:
First to be a true story about a living person shouldn't that have some imput into the story? So Mr. Stone is first of all misleading calling it based on truth.
Secondly to say it based on truth we only know what was seen externally not internally with the "W" adminstration. So Mr, Stone has erred in showing scenes from the internal meetings unless he was there or has one of the persons present as an advisor. Again no truth in what occured in the board room. So please don't call it based on the truth it is stretching facts
The younger years at Yale was this based on eyewitness facts or again conjecture?
Nothing in the review I read says anything about it being more than conjecture on the screenwriter and Mr,. Stones own conjecture. Therefore it must be a fictional dipiction of what they believe to be fact.
I hope noone ever makes a movie about my life based on conjecture and half truth.
"W" has made errors and depending on your viewpoint bad or very bad. But, please if your going to call it truth present the truth. No I haven't seen nor do I wish to see a movie like this one.
October 13, 2008 11:47 AM
Impeach said:
impeach Bush and Company for WAR crimes...
October 13, 2008 8:35 PM
Pete said:
I guess Mr. Stone didn't feel the need to dissect the roots of Bill Clinton's brazen philandering or John Kerry's war service 3 weeks before an election. It's sad that a once great filmaker has resorted to fabricating mistruths in order to sway an election to his personal viewpoints. It's ironic that the left criticizes the administration for supposedly misleading the public yet embraces a film for openly engaging in rewriting history for it's own agenda. Thankfully the American public has grown tired of Hollywood and it's array of political experts.
October 13, 2008 10:26 PM
AnonymousIsACoward said:
Hey Anonymous,
Are you serious? You must really have your head up your ass. Are you one of those poor Bush loving rednecks who live in the middle of nowhere USA? You must be part of that 20% approval rating of W. May I suggest you go live in a third world country so that you see what the future of our country would become if W. were allowed more than two terms. Go ahead, get out of this great country!
Idiot!
October 14, 2008 6:57 AM
I second that said:
Anonymous,
History speaks for itself. George W. is a loser on all fronts.
October 14, 2008 9:55 AM
Texican said:
Oh? I'm in Texas and I'll like this movie just fine, I'm sure. As for the subject himself, y'all can keep the SOB for all we care. Anyone else notice that the right wingers are getting more furious and nasty every day? One gets the impression they are constantly tallying up their little enemies lists and fantasizing about showing those doggone liberals/Hollywood types/non-Whites/non-evangelicals/journalists/union members/heathens/young people/pointy headed intellectuals what for when they get the chance. Let's do all of ourselves a favor and keep these nasty little buggers away from the levers of power for a LOOOOOONG time.
October 14, 2008 12:51 PM
What kind of Pretzel? said:
Politics are sports for the Napoleon complexes. You root for your team at the conventions, an oakland raider without the makeup but a lint rolled suit!!! When your done listening to Morrissey, offer me a trade...I'm interested in your Teddy Roosevelt tight end in our fantasy league.
Bush is Bill Buckner, what sweep of what cardinals will it take for us to get cozy with him again?
October 14, 2008 6:45 PM
jackribbet said:
anyone who likes bush or thinks he was great for the US of A is a moron. Nobody had to make a movie or talk about bush to convince me about how incompotent that man is. Mr Stone is a great producer and all his movies are entertaining..I'm sure 'W' is no different.
October 15, 2008 5:21 PM
ForAmerica said:
Regardless of party affiliation, as an American this movie makes me sad. Does anyone wonder why most of the world hates us? We take a person who at one time had an 83% approval rating because he was determined to make terrorists pay for 9/11 and is a fellow American and make a mockery of him. I don't see the Patriotism we Americans supposedly have for our country enhanced by making a movie which is in fact not all based on truth and broadcasting it to the world. He holds an office we as a people elected him to, twice, and the office itself deserves more respect than this movie gives. It's not about George Bush, it's about the office of the President of the United States and if we don't have more respect for it than to support this garbage, then why should the rest of the world respect it???
Who actually believes that everything that has happened in this country is ALL Bush's fault? Is he the only one in Washington? The same can be said for any president...they don't deserve all the credit for the good things, nor do they deserve all the blame when it goes badly. If I'm not mistaken, Republicans don't control Congress and haven't for the last two years...since when can the President make anything happen without Congress supporting it???
I love America and the fact that this movie has been made makes me ashamed to be called an American beside Oliver Stone. We are better than this. Our ancestors have proven this over and over again from the revolution to the civil war. What legacy are we leaving for our children?
I say we support America and not a movie maker with his own agenda.
October 16, 2008 6:39 AM
An American said:
I applaud the comments made by "ForAmerica" and I fully agree. As a proud American it is heartbreaking to see the comments here that bash other Americans based simply on their convictions and points of view. George Bush has made mistakes while in office, but which of our Presidents hasn't? What amazes me is that our Congress, whether the previous Republican led Congress, or the present Democratic led Congress, can so easily wash their hands of any blame or responsibility for any of those mistakes and will gladly lay any fault at the feet of George Bush. And we, as Americans, seem to be meekly led along by the media, (of whatever variety be it movies, news, comedy or whatever,) to believe whatever is put in front of us without ever looking beneath the surface for ourselves to see the truth or to make our own decisions.
I will not go to see this movie simply because, as ForAmerica said, it is a sad statement on our nation that a movie like this one would be made in the first place and that it would be released while that President is still in office and three weeks before a hotly contested and very antagonistic Presidential Election. What have we as a nation come to?
October 16, 2008 1:04 PM
Obama Supporter said:
Bush has plenty to be embarassed for without being swift-boated by this boring piece of trash.
Save your money and wait for the DVD. Or borrow it from the Library - then only your brain will be raped, and not your wallet too.
October 17, 2008 8:08 PM
Real Right said:
For Paul "Gringo Latino,"
You are what is commonly known as a RINO... Republican in name only. Not a true conservative, either. You keep looking for someone else to give you something... in return for what? Being an illegal?
Stop whining and watch your movie!
BTW, Blacks and Latinos don't often mix company. Your Cracker racist remarks are indicative of your social leanings.
October 20, 2008 12:02 AM
Woody said:
I don't know about the rest of you lunatics, but I live in a world where people make their decisions on how to spend their hard-earned bucks by using what wisdom and experience we may have accumulated over our years. That said, having dropped a few sheckles on Stone projects before, I would not do so again. Thats my experience at work. Given that this flick was released 3 weeks before the election, it's clear Stone is more interested in influencing the outcome, than he is in producing a quality film. That's my wisdom at work. Joe the Plumber won't spend money to see this dopey film, but Stone will propbably recover it's cost from the left-wing elites, who need the constant programing.
October 20, 2008 9:40 AM
plmcdaniels said:
There is no doubt that Oliver Stone is a very talented filmmaker. However, you'd never know it by this film. It is a clear attempt to sway the election. History still has to come before we'll know how it writes the W story. Everyone, including die-hard Bush supporters have at least somewhat negative opinion of Bush. But, it's hard to say how much of this opinion is based upon the steady biased output of the overwhelmingly liberal media. Since the liberal media cannot write history, we'll have to wait and see.
October 20, 2008 1:37 PM
Bob S said:
This movie is boring. Stone obviously hates Bush and the movie screams out "Oliver Stone wants to be saluted at Hollywood parties". Ugh. He did a great job with Platoon but since then its been a never ending bore fest of really bad movies.
October 23, 2008 1:27 AM
Phil said:
"W" was Stone-cold dumb. It was just another, in a long string of Stoner boners. I had a free ticket, so if you have to pay, you're better off using your money to buy stock in Fannie Mae.
October 23, 2008 6:08 AM
Phil said:
"W" was Stone-cold dumb. It was just another, in a long string of Stoner boners. I had a free ticket, so if you have to pay, you're better off using your money to buy stock in Fannie Mae.
October 23, 2008 6:10 AM
Colleen T said:
Oliver Stone puts the "W" in Wasted afternoon.
October 23, 2008 6:12 AM
Down with the Media said:
First, I just want to say i agree with "ForAmerica" on the comments He/She made. Second, I think most of you ("Bush Bashers") need to really do some studying and learn how the world really works. So, Bush made some mistakes? Maybe, but what would you have done different, Can i hear your views on foriegn policy or what you would push for in office? can you back it up with ligistics? or can you tell me details off the top of your head about current foreign policy? Doubt it. Tell me this too. Why has the economy crashed? Bush? haha I dont think so.. Try researching the facts of whats really happening to our economy.. run the numbers though, do listen to the economy; oohhhh thats weird, you dont know where to start? dont know any financial equations? I guess thats why you have all the anwsers to saving the economy, huh? I didn't realize there were so many genius's in the middle class and lower classes or amoung the celebrities.. It strikes me as hard to believe that all of you know whats best for the country when your not even smart enough to rise above the oridinary and make something more of your self. This is why America is called the land of oprotunity; one has access to some of the best higher education in the world, and if you claim you never had the chance because where or how you were raised, or how much money your family had, you my fellow American are a fithly liar! There was an article in the paper about 6 months ago talking about how an illegal from mexico went to school on his own, made his own way and is now one of the top brain sergions in the world! If thats not opprotunity than i dont know what is. Ok now im just rambling on because im so furious with everyones idiotic opinions as to what this country needs to save it, and how Bush did a horible job and got us where we are now. If anything this reseccion is going to help the world economy and we will finally start acting under one global Accounting Policy run by IFAC. Please people, go out learn something on your own today, not through the media. Stop being followers because your not intelligent enough to know what you stand for.. Figure it out and one day you could be up in washington proposing some of your very own ideas. Knowledge is Power, if it is factual, not media driven scrutiny. Peace to all.
October 23, 2008 12:25 PM
patrick said:
can i download this movie thru my laptop plsssss
October 24, 2008 12:55 PM
kogmedia said:
Josh Brolin did a convincing Dubya, though he reminded me a lot of his cowboy character from No Country for Old Men... over all, i don't doubt that 'W.' will have the effect Oliver Stone desired
October 24, 2008 2:52 PM
Anonymous said:
vvhbfbfrygrerfuhyyhfuhfsueydswwswwwwvbbvhbsdnvhvgvgscc bxbhhbfw
November 6, 2008 11:04 AM
Joe Blow said:
Another "Stoner Boner"...I don't care who you are...that's funny. I don't think this film was seen enough to have any impact on the election. I can't wait to see what Obama does and if people will still like him four years from now...if he gets re-elected the people will get what they deserve, be that good or bad. God Bless America...we are going to need it!
November 16, 2008 9:58 PM