In a surprisingly empathetic biopic8212;particularly the great performance from Josh Brolin as George W. Bush8212;Oliver Stone (“Nixon,” “JFK”) traces the path of one of the most interesting and polarizing presidents and politicians of the United States.
This path follows Bush’s two-term presidency, in which he has gone from ultra-high approval ratings to a frighteningly low acceptance level.
Oliver Stone’s “W,” which I believed would be targeted toward those who looked less favorably upon Bush, indeed caught me very off guard. The film is less concerned with ridiculing Bush, and more concerned with the larger picture8212;the multifaceted tragedy of the past eight years.
Yes, Bush is the central figure of the tragedy, but there are many factors that help determine the tragic outcome that Stone addresses. The film, of course, takes its jabs at the commander in chief, painting him as an altogether ordinary guy who willed himself into an extraordinary position under extraordinary circumstances. “W” also pokes fun at his cabinet, especially Condoleezza Rice (Thandie Newton) who looks like a character straight out of Saturday Night Live and is targeted much more than the other members. Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell gives an accurate depiction of a deeply divided secretary of state and former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This is now even more poignant noting that Sunday, Colin Powell pledged support for Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic presidential nominee.
Watch the final theatrical trailer for Oliver Stone’s W.:
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Another role that seemed a perfect fit was that of Richard Dreyfuss as the formidable Vice President Dick Cheney8212;the arm folding is accurately creepy.
The film begins in the middle of a baseball field with Bush fantasizing he is a professional player. There are no visible fans, rather just the background noise of cheers and boos. As a metaphor, the fantasy is a bit clunky8212;mostly because it’s obvious8212;and it’s a recurring theme throughout the film.
“I never dreamed about being president, I wanted to be Willie Mays,” Bush said, according to Stone’s film guide.
One aspect to the film that seems almost unforgivable is the omission of anything involving Sept. 11. In a biopic about the man who was in charge during one of the most important periods in American history, giving the terrorist attacks only a vague mention is confusing to say the least. It would be the equivalent to Stone leaving out the Watergate scandal in his film “Nixon.”
Another scene depicts the birth of the infamous “axis of evil” speech, thus beginning what is an effective pattern of juxtaposing scenes from the past and present. This visual device allows Stone to show a dopey young man who becomes the leader of the free world8212;which is both effective as well as scary. The past shows Bush at odds with heavy drinking, a controversial career in the Texas Air National Guard, an arrest while at Princeton, a failed attempt working on an oil rig and an eventual rebirth and alleged confirmation from God. It also shows the love life between him and Laura Bush (Elizabeth Banks).
Most importantly, however, is the tense relationship with his father, George H.W. Bush. Although the younger Bush was clearly admired by others, it seemed as though he didn’t try to solidify any meaningful relationship with his father. Always concerned with his younger son Jeb, George H.W. Bush didn’t appear to relate with his older son. This dilapidated relationship between father and son clearly influences Bush’s thought processes and tragically leads to some poor decisions.
Although I admit I was, for the most part, engaged for the majority of the film, I have a feeling the vast majority of those intimately familiar with Bush’s story, will leave the theater disappointed. Stone’s “W” ultimately feels rushed.
Neither the haters nor the lovers will find solace in this film. By trying to appeal to a broader audience, Stone doesn’t try to actually find one. Instead, “W” is mostly lukewarm, but dotted with short bursts of heat as demonstrated in Stone’s artistic vision. The “running” scene is great, a handful of other scenes are good and often funny, but in the end, “W” will leave most baffled. Did Stone do this on purpose and in so doing accurately replicate the Bush administration? See it and find out for yourself.
