The psychological picture the movie paints is as yawningly incomplete as its historical one -- and can be yawningly tedious, too.
Comment
10/17/08
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.
121 - 140 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
W.’s main shortcoming is its wishy-washiness. It lacks a real point of view (unusual for a Stone effort), and as a result there’s little in the way of genuine drama.
10/17/08
What's interesting is that a very watchable movie comes out of all this.
10/17/08
Instead of satire, W. works best as a filmmaking allegory. That going into a production unprepared is a lot like doing so with military conflict. The execution was off before the first camera started rolling.
10/17/08
Whatever your political bent, we can all come together as Americans and agree on one thing: The movie just isn't very good.
10/17/08
As a film, it simply attempts too much, consequently accomplishing little.
10/17/08
Despite a talented cast that includes James Cromwell as George H.W. Bush, a.k.a. 'Poppy', and Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, W. achieves the depth of a TV miniseries.
10/17/08
Rather than throwing gas on the fire, the in-the-moment, history-as-it's-happening framing of W. throws a bucket of water on the experience. This movie doesn't explode; it fizzles.
10/17/08
This is a familiar and facile take on the president, attributing the Iraq war to his oedipal problems with H.W. and treating him alternately as an object of fun or pity.
10/17/08
You'll be disappointed if you expect famed leftist Oliver Stone to apply a coup de grace to this man. Stone is more interested in examining the conditions that put Bush where he is now and made him the political animal he is.
10/17/08
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.
10/17/08
Top CriticIn an election season where personal faults are turned into salacious attack ads, it's reassuring to see that the typically salacious Stone is willing to exercise some restraint.
10/17/08
Leaving the theater, you may have the sudden sense that, really, it is too early for this movie to have been made, as sharp and as complicated as some of its pieces are.
10/17/08
W. is an engaging and sometimes revealing watch. At the very least, it's a change from the mindless Bush-bashing that has become so tedious.
10/17/08
Although Stone has gone out of his way to say that he has treated Bush as a figure to be understood, not simply pilloried, the movie plays like a dunk-the-clown game at a carnival.
10/17/08
Stone ... does little more than place a sitting president on a pedestal of lampoon with a poor choice of timing, less than three weeks before a presidential election.
10/17/08
We're awfully close to the real events in W., still feeling the effects of this presidency. ... So the concentration on personality flaws feels a little off-point somehow — insufficient, almost frivolous.
10/17/08
Perhaps it's appropriate that a movie about a man who saw the world in black and white - the world was with him or against him - ended up with so many good and bad qualities itself.
10/17/08
Little dramatic flare and few insights into politics or the Presidency.
10/17/08
Albeit ambitious in its fairness to the man at times and centered by an award-worthy performance by Josh Brolin, there's an irony that Stone's rush to judgement prevented him from creating a film with a more lasting legacy.
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