W, 2008
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W MOVIE POSTER
W
Movie Reviews

Directed by Oliver Stone
Starring: Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Richard Dreyfuss, Ellen Burstyn, Thandie Newton, Elizabeth Banks
Review by Eli Manning

SYNOPSIS:

Whether you love him or hate him, there is no question that George W. Bush is one of the most controversial public figures in recent memory.

In an unprecedented undertaking, acclaimed director Oliver Stone is bringing the life of the 43rd President to the big screen as only he can. W. takes viewers through Bush's eventful life—his struggles and triumphs, how he found both his wife and his faith, and of course the critical days leading up to his decision to invade Iraq.

REVIEW:

It was a long day of movie watching for me and W was my last film of the day. The trailers were playing before the film started, so I hurried to the concession stand to get a fill up on my popcorn. There was a bit of a lineup and I knew that I wasn't going to make it if I stood and waited. Missing the beginning wasn't an option and I was really hungry, so I thought of a way to get my popcorn.

I jumped in front and got the concession person's attention and schmoozed my way into getting me the popcorn right away in front of the customer. The lady who I butted in front of was furious with me for being so pushing. So I jumped on my knees and put my hands out to her like I was asking for her hand in marriage and asked for her forgiveness. She smiled, the concession person smiled and so did the crowd observing. They were entertained and I got my way. But what was really the cost? I was wrong for what I did and I have to live with that. We are always our own judge and jury at the end of the day.

That story was very ironic after watching W because that's what

George W. Bush does in many ways. He was born with the art of charm. They all say that he's the kind of guy you want to invite to your barbeque as he's always the life of the party. With that gift and with the luck of being born into an affluent family, George W. Bush became the 43rd president of the United States. A man who will probably go down as the most infamous president in history. A man who's approval rating 2 years into his presidency was higher than any other president in history. And a man who's approval rating as of this writing and most likely until the end of his presidency will be the worst in history. There is definitely a story here, and Oliver Stone tells a terrific one.

W takes the audience in on a journey of a human being you really have a hard time not liking. George W. Bush is a guy who's really lives life to the fullest. Food is a major character in W as it's used as an analogy of how Bush is feeling in each scene. If he's digging into the spread, then he's full of confidence, which is usually most the time. But as the movie progresses, W's appetite wanes. He is asked at the end of the film (used as the main clip to promote the film) what his main mistake is during his presidency and he can't answer the question. Like his father, Geroge W Bush shows his emotions in non-direct ways. He's not going to show his vulnerability to a group of reporters.

How US started the Iraq war is the main plot of this film mixed in with flashbacks of how George W got into the head seat. Oliver Stone has two hours to tell us the W story, so he bi-passes such conflicts and mistakes as how he got elected in 2000, the post-911 handling and the Hurricane Katrina debacle. George is a born again and looks at life in a very black and white way. Good vs Evil! Whereas Cheney is a man who has a grand picture of pure USA dominance. One of the best scenes in the last 20 years comes at the midpoint in W where Bush and the group of cronies (Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, General Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, Karl Rove etc.) talk Iraq War strategy. It's a 20 minute scene that anyone who's interested in storytelling and filmmaking should watch again and again. In the end Cheney, who's sits back during most of the scene, picks his spot and takes complete control over the meeting. He explains the entire reason to why the US will invade Iraq and it's not about taking down Evil doers.

The good capitalist that Cheney is, is out for the oil. The more control of the oil, the more control the US has and the more world dominance they can obtain. George brings Cheney's plan back to 'what the American people need to hear'. It's all about safety and security and to make sure the 911 attacks never happen again.

George W Bush wants to do good. He's a good enough guy who's obviously a little over his head. A man like Dick Cheney and his men are extremely smart people. They are masters at bringing their agenda and Bush's agenda into one so everyone is happy. But at what cost? Many soldiers are dead and confusion is rapid in the United States

How does a man who's was a nice enough guy but a failure at pretty much everything until he was 40 years old become President? That is Oliver Stone's thesis statement. This is nothing personal. W Bush is a guy was a lot of great qualities, but the President of a large country he should not be. And for two terms! He's going to leave the oval office in complete disarray. And I guess it perhaps comes down to the American people for letting this happen. They did after all vote him in. I know, I know, to you conspiracy theorists out there, he might of won the election in sketchy fashions, but only because the race was so close. If it's not that close, then they (if there is a they) can't do what they did. All in all I loved this film. It's a highly entertaining movie, plus a very important film that will stand the test of time. Oliver Stone is a master filmmaker and he's at his best in W. He combines documentary style of shooting with vintage Hollywood style shooting and it's a highly effective way to keep the audiences emotionally involved throughout. Josh Brolin, who plays George W, was brilliant. An obvious role that will get an Oscar nomination.

W will be the first film I will go back to see again this year because it deserves a second viewing. There's a lot a film-maker, screenwriter, art director, actor etc... can learn by watching this film. It's brilliantly executed from top to bottom.