C-
It would not seem possible for Oliver Stone (World Trade Center) to make a movie about George W. Bush and fail. But alas, the aging director, known for his political crucifixion of the war front, has defied the odds and done just that with his most recent film, W.
With a prestigious back-catalogue of films including Platoon, JFK and Born on the Fourth of July, Stone is renowned for his fine craftsmanship and meticulous execution. Sadly, he misses the mark completely with his new biopic about our 43rd president.
W. plays like more of a Lifetime movie than the work of a veteran director. Throughout his career, Stone has been notorious for taking chances with his work, rarely caring about offending the right wing. So why was he so reserved with W.?
It is unclear whether this film is intended to be a comedy or drama. Either way, it falls flat. Centering on both the evolution of George W. Bush from alcoholic frat boy to born-again Christian and his tumultuous relationship with his father, former president George H. W. Bush, the film is overly sympathetic and lacks any real insight into an all too familiar topic.
Stone pushed for the film to be released before the presidential election in November, but why? It does little to sway the opinion of audiences and, unlike other political films such as Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11, W. does not have a clear agenda.
Considering that record numbers of Americans disapprove of Bush as a president, the film is a simple reiteration of what we already know.
W. is filled with cliche "Bushisms" that were played-out long ago on Saturday Night Live and, in this case, fail to be even mildly amusing. The only truly humorous bit is when first lady Laura Bush announces to the president that his favorite musical, Cats, is coming to town. Whether or not this is true (Stone insists it is), this is the only scene that gives audiences any new information about the president.
Overall, the film is a major disappointment. It is far too long and the lackluster script, written by Wall Street scribe Stanley Weiser, makes it all the more boring. However, within this unexciting film are two noteworthy performances. Though Josh Brolin (American Gangster)has the daunting task of playing the title role, he truly embodies the president. Even though Bush is a man we are all familiar with, Brolin is nothing short of believable.
Also commendable is Richard Dreyfuss' (Poseidon) portrayal of Vice President Dick Cheney, which is so convincing that one will find it hard to believe it's actually not Cheney himself.
While W. is not a complete failure, it is not informative or interesting enough to be worthy of ticket purchase.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
