Oliver Stone's latest project is the biopic W. (PG-13). As the titles suggests Stone profiles the life and presidency of our current president, George W. Bush. Josh Brolin stars as President Bush and he is joined by Elizabeth Banks, Richard Dreyfuss, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright and James Cromwell.
Ryan: From the onset I wasn't sure what to make of this movie. The conservative movie-going audience is going dismiss the film simply because liberal-minded Stone is directing the movie. From the other side it seems to me that those moviegoers just want to move on from the Bush years. Ultimately, I was perplexed in what type of audience they were aiming at. After watching the movie, I'm not really sure if that question is answered. Nonetheless, W. is an engaging film that is significantly strengthened by the superb performance by Josh Brolin.
Andy: Stone’s purpose seems to be to shed light on, and remind viewers of the kind of president George W. Bush is perceived to be. What is remarkable and somewhat surprising is the empathy with which Bush is portrayed. Some of the most revered aspects of President Bush (his complete confidence, his religious conviction) are on display as strengths every bit as much as (and probably more than) they are criticized in the film. Regardless of your feelings about him as a president, W. makes Bush seem like a real, believable guy, which is a testament to Brolin’s brilliant performance.
Ryan: If there was truly one reason to watch the movie, it's Josh Brolin's multi-layered performance of President Bush. Make no mistake about it, the presentation of President Bush is much more sympathetic in the movie than people are going to expect. One reason for this is Brolin's authentic portrayal. In a role that could have been nothing more than a caricature, Brolin showcases the President as a real person. I appreciate this because it's that everyman quality of President Bush that attracts people to him but that trait rarely comes through in public settings. Whether that trait qualifies him to be a successful president is still up for debate.
Andy: Brolin is certainly the star, and it is not unreasonable to think of him as an early Oscar contender for his performance. It is very easy to watch the film and simply see a private side of George W. Bush without thinking about the fact that it is Josh Brolin playing Bush. That is the goal of most actors, and Brolin nailed it here. Also noteworthy for their performances are Richard Dreyfuss as for his creepy, sneering Dick Cheney, and Toby Jones for his determined Karl Rove.
Ryan: While Brolin's performance is top-rate the rest of the film struggles to find itself. Stone is insistent on driving home the father-son relationship in terms of Junior winning Senior's approval but Stone's over-simplified take reeks of psych 101. From a narrative standpoint, the film jumps around intermediately without much direction. Thirdly, it's hard to write a satisfying ending and conclusion when the subject matter is still ongoing. Ultimately the film fails to shed any new light on President Bush's life and presidency.
Andy: One of the issues holding this film down is that with the overwhelming nature of the presidential campaign, now does not feel like the time for retrospection on an era that is technically still happening. Most of Bush’ s second term is left out of the movie, leaving it with a contemporary but not relevant feel that may have been avoided if this movie came out six months from now. The bottom line is that many Americans from both ends of the political spectrum are trying to forget about Bush as president, and releasing a sprawling biopic about him feels out of synch at this juncture.
W. offers some great performances and some interesting takes, but ultimately feels a little lacking in this intense political season. Final grade: B-.
Ryan: From the onset I wasn't sure what to make of this movie. The conservative movie-going audience is going dismiss the film simply because liberal-minded Stone is directing the movie. From the other side it seems to me that those moviegoers just want to move on from the Bush years. Ultimately, I was perplexed in what type of audience they were aiming at. After watching the movie, I'm not really sure if that question is answered. Nonetheless, W. is an engaging film that is significantly strengthened by the superb performance by Josh Brolin.
Andy: Stone’s purpose seems to be to shed light on, and remind viewers of the kind of president George W. Bush is perceived to be. What is remarkable and somewhat surprising is the empathy with which Bush is portrayed. Some of the most revered aspects of President Bush (his complete confidence, his religious conviction) are on display as strengths every bit as much as (and probably more than) they are criticized in the film. Regardless of your feelings about him as a president, W. makes Bush seem like a real, believable guy, which is a testament to Brolin’s brilliant performance.
Ryan: If there was truly one reason to watch the movie, it's Josh Brolin's multi-layered performance of President Bush. Make no mistake about it, the presentation of President Bush is much more sympathetic in the movie than people are going to expect. One reason for this is Brolin's authentic portrayal. In a role that could have been nothing more than a caricature, Brolin showcases the President as a real person. I appreciate this because it's that everyman quality of President Bush that attracts people to him but that trait rarely comes through in public settings. Whether that trait qualifies him to be a successful president is still up for debate.
Andy: Brolin is certainly the star, and it is not unreasonable to think of him as an early Oscar contender for his performance. It is very easy to watch the film and simply see a private side of George W. Bush without thinking about the fact that it is Josh Brolin playing Bush. That is the goal of most actors, and Brolin nailed it here. Also noteworthy for their performances are Richard Dreyfuss as for his creepy, sneering Dick Cheney, and Toby Jones for his determined Karl Rove.
Ryan: While Brolin's performance is top-rate the rest of the film struggles to find itself. Stone is insistent on driving home the father-son relationship in terms of Junior winning Senior's approval but Stone's over-simplified take reeks of psych 101. From a narrative standpoint, the film jumps around intermediately without much direction. Thirdly, it's hard to write a satisfying ending and conclusion when the subject matter is still ongoing. Ultimately the film fails to shed any new light on President Bush's life and presidency.
Andy: One of the issues holding this film down is that with the overwhelming nature of the presidential campaign, now does not feel like the time for retrospection on an era that is technically still happening. Most of Bush’ s second term is left out of the movie, leaving it with a contemporary but not relevant feel that may have been avoided if this movie came out six months from now. The bottom line is that many Americans from both ends of the political spectrum are trying to forget about Bush as president, and releasing a sprawling biopic about him feels out of synch at this juncture.
W. offers some great performances and some interesting takes, but ultimately feels a little lacking in this intense political season. Final grade: B-.
1 comment:
I loved this movie. It is enjoyable but its not for everyone. Its funny and tragic too.
Watch W. Movie
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