(Stone) presents a timid bio-pic about a regular, shiftless guy born into wealth who somehow stumbles into the presidency of the United States.
Comment
10/18/08
W. (2008)
60
%
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work 
Reviews Counted:201
Fresh:120
Rotten:81
Average Rating:6/10
Consensus: A surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the 43rd American president, W. is fascinating in spots, but merely rudimentary as a whole.
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... [More]
Starring: Josh Brolin, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Elizabeth Banks
Director: Oliver Stone
Reviews for W.
81 - 100 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
No Bush fan myself, I was frequently moved by the spectacle of Stone's Bush, who might have been a happier and certainly less troublesome man had he not been born a Bush.
10/18/08
It has its moments, one of the finest at the conclusion.
10/18/08
If Stone's portrait of George Bush is laid on with a trowel, maybe it's because God seems to have engineered the real Bush's life with a similarly crude sense of irony.
10/18/08
The film may be ill-timed, arguably unnecessary and no more psychologically probing than any other Stone movie. But much of it works as deft, brisk, slyly engaging docudrama.
10/18/08
Stone's meticulous reenactment of the public and private Bush seizes control of the grand narrative from the president and his expert magicians.
10/18/08
Perhaps there is a factory near Shanghai doing an express run of Dick Cheney masks in time for Halloween.
10/18/08
It's not quite right to call W. a wasted opportunity: that would suggest that the idea of a biopic of the sitting president had some value in the first place.
10/18/08
Tepid telling of 43rd president's rise to power.
10/17/08
Oliver Stone's take on Bush could be spot-on, or it could just be armchair analysis. All I know is that I was heavily involved in his vision. This is great, ambitious filmmaking from a director who is not afraid to delve inside his subjects.
10/17/08
This may be the most overdetermined psychological profile since Hitchcock wound up Norman Bates and let him go.
10/17/08
While there are a few jabs taken at Bush throughout the 110 minutes of running time, W. actually makes you empathize with everything our commander in chief has gone through over the decades: the good, the bad and even the ugly.
10/17/08
By his own admission, George W. Bush has his faults, so it seems almost fitting that W. should have them, too.
10/17/08
with so many famous people playing famous people to varying degrees of quality, it seems like a weak Saturday Night Live sketch without the jokes
10/17/08
Nothing wrong with a little caricature, as it's what keeps the movie entertaining. But some day I'd like to see a movie on this topic that really tries to get to the truth as well.
10/17/08
Funny, compelling, enlightening and more than a little unnerving. Josh Brolin leaps into the Best Actor Oscar race.
10/17/08
W.'s issue isn't its political statements; it's that there isn't a satisfactory film there to back them up.
10/17/08
Equal parts comedy (inevitably only-in-America satire) and Oedipal psycho-drama...[from] the bard of American political cinema.
10/17/08
Josh Brolin is phenomenal. He does more than just impersonate W, he embodies him, totally getting lost in the character.
10/17/08
I was hoping for a Young Mr. W. treatment.
10/17/08
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...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Fresh Links
Featured
Dressing Wonderland
Tim Burton's costume designer talks to Movieline about her long collaboration with the filmmaker and Johnny Depp.
Wes Anderson on Fox
The director talks about puppetry perfection and his film, Fantastic Mr. Fox
Win Glee DVDs
We've got 20 copies of the hit TV series' Pilot Episode to giveaway.
Win tickets to Cold Souls
Double passes up for grabs to the new comedy starring Paul Giamatti.
Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Twitter
Get all the latest movie updates, reviews, interviews and features here.
Competitions
Win Star Wars prizes
Enough Prequel, Original Trilogy and Family Guy DVDs to fill a space cruiser
Win the entire 007 collection
Everything from Dr. No to Quantum of Solace could be yours.
Win Fight Club Special Editions and more
We're giving away the 10th Anniversary Blu-ray, plus Braveheart and the Rocky collection
IGN RSS Feeds