It's a film with a shelf life, I think. Unlike W himself, it should mature over time.
W. (2008)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:38
Fresh:15
Rotten:23
Average Rating:5.3/10
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
Reviews for W.
An absorbing and weirdly enjoyable portrait of a slight, meritless man and his calamitous presidency.
Endeavours this even-handed and entertaining shouldn't be "misunderestimated."
More character piece than the expected tragedy or parody, W. is surprisingly good fun.
Part satire, part biopic, part behind-the scenes political drama, W gets stranded in a no-man's land somewhere in between.
First and foremost, W. dazzles by Josh Brolin's astounding performance, but the film itself entertains and engages thoroughly from start to finish.
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.
An interesting post-mortem on the still warm corpse of a presidency, but not top-shelf Oliver Stone.
Disappointing. Stone whipped this out in time for the US Presidential election, but it’s hard to see how it’ll make any significant impact on voters. Or why it even should.
While W. lacks the forensic rigour of recent documentaries dealing with Bush’s legacy and recent history, it’s a thumpingly entertaining ride.
This movie is one big pulled punch. Dubya himself becomes a blank hole of neutrality and balance. Almost anyone else shown here would have made a more interesting subject for a biopic.
W. feels poorly timed: too late to have any effect on the public, most of whom long ago checked out on the President, and too early to provide more than a schematic interpretation of who he is.
W. is a scattershot attempt at stylized portraiture that plays like a half-baked editorial cartoon.
In spite of Josh Brolin's heroic efforts, W. is a skin-deep biopic that revels in its antic shallowness.
Although clearly not the definitive biography of Bush, W. is absorbing and amusing to ruminate over.
Perhaps the crucial reason W. succeeds as much as it does is the surprisingly empathetic work of Josh Brolin.
W. does something most journalism and even documentaries can't or won't do: it reminds us what a long, strange trip it's been to the Bush White House.
Oliver Stone's W., a biography of President Bush, is fascinating. No other word for it.
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. ![]()
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. ![]()
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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