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W.

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W. (2008)

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Reviews Counted: 198

Fresh: 119

Rotten:79

Average Rating: 6.1/10

Consensus: A surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the 43rd American president, W. is fascinating in spots, but merely rudimentary as a whole.

Australian Rating: M [See Full Rating] Coarse language and incidental war footage

Runtime: 2 hrs 9 mins

Genre: Dramas

Australian Theatrical Release:
Feb 26, 2009 Wide

US Box Office: $25,517,500

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... 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 our 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 Bush’s decision to invade Iraq. [More]

Starring: Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks

Starring: Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks, Toby Jones, Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Glenn, Ioan Gruffudd, Richard Dreyfuss, Stacy Keach, Bruce McGill

Director: Oliver Stone

Director: Oliver Stone
Screenwriter: Stanley Weiser
Producer: Moritz Borman, Bill Block
Composer: Paul Cantelon
Studio: Lions Gate Films

[See More Credits]

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    W. Meets Laura
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    Extended Trailer
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    "Characters" TV Spot
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  • Trailer #2
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    "Love Hate" TV Spot
    >
    Josh Brolin Interview
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    Josh Brolin and Elizabeth Banks Interview
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1 - 4 of 8

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Reviews for W.

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

It's a film with a shelf life, I think. Unlike W himself, it should mature over time.

Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
03/06/09
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Stone and screenwriter Stanley Weiser have little...to offer us.

Full Review Source: The Age (Australia) | comment Comment
03/06/09
Philippa Hawker
The Age (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

An absorbing and weirdly enjoyable portrait of a slight, meritless man and his calamitous presidency.

Full Review Source: The Australian | comment Comment
03/06/09
Evan Williams
The Australian
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Endeavours this even-handed and entertaining shouldn't be "misunderestimated."

Full Review Source: Time Out Sydney | comment Comment
02/27/09
David Fear
Time Out Sydney

More character piece than the expected tragedy or parody, W. is surprisingly good fun.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
02/27/09
Erin Free
FILMINK (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Part satire, part biopic, part behind-the scenes political drama, W gets stranded in a no-man's land somewhere in between.

Full Review Source: Daily Telegraph (Australia) | comment Comment
02/27/09
Vicky Roach
Daily Telegraph (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

It’s interesting, it’s well done, but that’s about it.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
02/27/09
Margaret Pomeranz
At the Movies (Australia)
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

First and foremost, W. dazzles by Josh Brolin's astounding performance, but the film itself entertains and engages thoroughly from start to finish.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/20/09
Louise Keller
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A movie that's like a photo album made of moving pictures, focusing on his early, untamed life, the extraordinary turnaround and finally the first term.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/20/09
Andrew L. Urban
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Aided by an Oscar-worthy turn from Josh Brolin, what "W." attempts is something far bolder than badgering. Instead, Oliver Stone spews a subtler invective than normal here - insightful and indicting of a country's complicity up to a point.

Full Review Source: Suite101.com | comment Comment
06/17/09
Nick Rogers
Suite101.com

Uma mistura de documentário e esquete do Saturday Night Live.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
04/25/09
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

An interesting post-mortem on the still warm corpse of a presidency, but not top-shelf Oliver Stone.

Full Review Source: MovieTime, ABC Radio National | comment Comment
02/27/09
Jason Di Rosso
MovieTime, ABC Radio National
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Rather simplistic and reductive, but something tells me Oliver Stone didn't mind it turning out that way.

Full Review Source: Window to the Movies | comment Comment
02/12/09
Jeffrey Chen
Window to the Movies

W. is the October surprise. The movie won't change anybody's ideas about the values of the last eight years. But it may make some of us think differently about their protagonist. If one expects -- or demands -- a Liberal screed against G.W. Bush, t

Full Review Source: Fayetteville Free Weekly | comment Comment
02/01/09
Tony Macklin
Fayetteville Free Weekly

When [Stone] looks into Bush's eyes... he's reflecting on the long, tormented nights of many an American soul.

Full Review Source: Suite101.com | comment Comment
11/28/08
Rob Humanick
Suite101.com

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that George W. Bush is a remarkably controversial figure, so how is it possible that Stone has managed to make a movie that's about as incendiary as Kung Fu Panda?

Full Review Source: Creative Loafing | comment Comment
11/26/08
Matt Brunson
Creative Loafing

Josh Brolin develops an ingenious physical tic that encompasses the President: He talks with his mouth full, like a man who's bitten off more than he can chew.

Full Review Source: Film Snobs | comment Comment
11/20/08
Stephen Himes
Film Snobs

Stone miscalculates by wanting to talk about George W. Bush just as he has become the lamest of lame ducks.

Full Review Source: Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) | comment Comment
11/12/08
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

... while not the ideological lambasting many probably expected, it's nonetheless not a portrait the subject himself would find flattering.

Full Review Source: Los Angeles CityBeat | comment Comment
11/12/08
Andy Klein
Los Angeles CityBeat

Like the worst of Stone's movies, W. feels bloated, sloppy, and overambitious.

Full Review Source: Film and Felt | comment Comment
11/11/08
Gabe Leibowitz
Film and Felt
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >> >|
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Latest News for W.

February 09, 2009: RT on DVD: Oliver's W, Spike's St. Anna, and My Name is Bruce!
What better way to celebrate the inauguration of President Barack Obama by watching Oliver Stone's W. this week on DVD? While a handful of middling studio releases hit home... More...

February 08, 2009: This Stone-d Bush is a pampered village idiot prop, with Thandie's bubbleheaded Condi stealing the show. And while W's 'just make sure you hit no camels on the ass,' is wild, the movie begs the question, who is responsible? W: The Audacity Of Honing Up. Opens in new window
More...

February 01, 2009: This Stone-d Bush is a pampered village idiot prop, with Thandie's bubbleheaded Condi stealing the show. And while W's 'just make sure you hit no camels on the ass,' is wild, the movie begs the question, who is responsible? W: The Audacity Of Honing Up. Opens in new window
More...

November 14, 2008: UK Critics Consensus: Is Zack And Miri Make A Porno On The Money (Shot)? Is Max Payne Maxing Or Taxing?
This week in the UK cinema screens we have Kevin Smith's latest, the intuitively titled Zack And Miri Make A Porno. Marky Mark Wahlberg stars in the video game adaptation Max... More...

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