Oliver Stone strikes again… and when it comes to Stone that usually isn’t a good thing. Sure he has had his moments, Academy Awards for Platoon and Born on the Fourth of July, but what Stone is commonly known for in the film community is for being a conspiracy theorist and a butcher. If you are fan of Oliver Stone you won’t be disappointed with his effort in W., but you should be prepared to see the side that he is criticized for not the award winner.
W. evolves as a story not about a failed presidency but a failed relationship with a father and an attempt to make a mends. Stone portrays George W. Bush as a screw up who has been able to do nothing to make his father proud. Bush is shown in his early years partying heavily and constantly butting heads with his father, a proud American servant. We move forward to the Bush presidency where he has hired all of his father’s friends and allies, become a born again Christian, married Laura, and about to enter a war. Stone shows Bush as a man who got in slightly over his head and almost not smart enough to keep up with his advisors who seemingly can talk him into anything.
Most of the information in the film is accurate. The facts in this film are largely based on what really happened however the question enters, who said what. The film allows for Colin Powell and Condaleeza Rice to appear sympathetic characters dragged downed by their associates while Dick Cheney and Karl Rove appear as diabolical madmen. Bush at times appears to be a very strong willed person who knows exactly what he wants and will do everything to achieve it, and at other times appears as a bumbling idiot. As a person with a strong interest in politics, I have come to know the facts behind many of these meetings and decisions, but to attempt to characterize statements and thoughts to certain individuals is almost impossible and irresponsible.
Other than the believability coming into question, Stone’s biggest failure is his attempt to insert all of the “Bushisms” throughout the presidency. It appears that Stone took every gaffe and mistake the President made and attempted to establish a story around fitting those things in. This causes the dialogue to appear forced and nonsensical. I think all this movie does is prove that you should allow a Presidency to end, give it some time to set in, and find out all the facts before you attempt to make a serious film about it. The only plus in this one is a strong performance from Josh Brolin, who looking very little like Bush does a good job of embodying the boy, the man, and the President. In my opinion you can “misunderestimate” this film all you want, and overall all I feel it was worth 2 “R’s” out of 5.
