W - the movie

[Jeff Lebowski]

I rented Oliver Stone's W on DVD last week. I was a little reluctant since I am bored with all things Bush these days. But I was pleasantly surprised. Josh Brolin does a remarkable job. Every part of the movie was based on actual events, but of course the dialog and character development are speculative. Either way, watchable and compelling. The best part of the movie is the backroom debates on the decision to invade Iraq. Chilling. Overall, it is surprisingly sympathetic to Bush.

The casting is intriguing. Richard Dreyfus was excellent as Dick Cheney. James Cromwell was perfect as Bush, Sr. The only one I didn't like was the guy who played Karl Rove. Too wimpy. I think Philip Seymour Hoffman would have been the ideal choice.

Outside of Cheney (of course) the character who comes off the worst is Condi Rice. She comes across as completely spineless. I wonder how accurate that is.

[tooblue]

Outside of Cheney (of course) the character who comes off the worst is Condi Rice. She comes across as completely spineless. I wonder how accurate that is.

Stone is cut from the same cloth as Seattle, the RamBam and the 'enlightened' writer they considered so wise in regards to prop 8

[RockyBalboa]

It would have been more accurate were it a Roger Moore directed film.

[Jeff Lebowski]

It would have been more accurate were it a Roger Moore directed film.

More James Bond-ish?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Stone is cut from the same cloth as Seattle, the RamBam and the 'enlightened' writer they considered so wise in regards to prop 8

Didn't SU vote for Bush both times?

Sure, you have to keep his biases in mind. Like I said, it was far more sympathetic to Bush than I expected.

Have you seen it?

[tooblue]

More James Bond-ish?

I think it's a compelling film.

[tooblue]

Didn't SU vote for Bush both times?

Sure, you have to keep his biases in mind. Like I said, it was far more sympathetic to Bush than I expected.

Have you seen it?

I liked it.

[myboynoah]

I rented Oliver Stone's W on DVD last week. I was a little reluctant since I am bored with all things Bush these days. But I was pleasantly surprised. Josh Brolin does a remarkable job. Every part of the movie was based on actual events, but of course the dialog and character development are speculative. Either way, watchable and compelling. The best part of the movie is the backroom debates on the decision to invade Iraq. Chilling. Overall, it is surprisingly sympathetic to Bush.

The casting is intriguing. Richard Dreyfus was excellent as Dick Cheney. James Cromwell was perfect as Bush, Sr. The only one I didn't like was the guy who played Karl Rove. Too wimpy. I think Philip Seymour Hoffman would have been the ideal choice.

Outside of Cheney (of course) the character who comes off the worst is Condi Rice. She comes across as completely spineless. I wonder how accurate that is.

More so than Powell? Was he portrayed in the film?

I always thought Rice was on board with much of what Bush did foreign policy wise, especially when it came to Iraq. It was Powell that I thought had serious doubts and made some very good points to Bush, yet played the good soldier in the end. If anybody got rolled by Rumsfeld and DOD, it was Powell.

I guess it's not good form for the left to slam a war hero, especially when he agrees with them.

Thanks for the review. I think I'll rent it.

[Jeff Lebowski]

More so than Powell? Was he portrayed in the film?

I always thought Rice was on board with much of what Bush did foreign policy wise, especially when it came to Iraq. It was Powell that I thought had serious doubts and made some very good points to Bush, yet played the good soldier in the end. If anybody got rolled by Rumsfeld and DOD, it was Powell.

I guess it's not good form for the left to slam a war hero, especially when he agrees with them.

Thanks for the review. I think I'll rent it.

Powell is portrayed pretty much as you described. He had serious doubts and reservations, but buckled under pressure and played along.

During all of the heated debates, Condi just sat there mute.

One more thing, Bush's pastor was played by Stacey Keach. Quite a role for the former Mike Hammer. But the whole "born-again" episode was done quite well I thought.

[RobinFinderson]

One interesting tid-bit out of recent news that sort of supports the premise of the film -- Bush didn't pardon Scooter, even though Cheney urged him to. I think that lends credence to Stone's view of Bush as a far more nuanced figure than most knee-jerk liberals give him credit for. By the end of the film I had concluded that Bush was a pretty cool guy who should have never ever ever been President of the United States.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

Realizing the movie was fiction, it made me like George HW Bush a lot more. It portrayed him as having an understanding that the world didn't revolve around America.

It also destroyed any lust I had created for Elizabeth Banks, I didn't need to see her in granny panties playing Laura.

In typical Oliver Stone fashion though it was about 20-30 minutes longer than it needed to be.

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

One interesting tid-bit out of recent news that sort of supports the premise of the film -- Bush didn't pardon Scooter, even though Cheney urged him to. I think that lends credence to Stone's view of Bush as a far more nuanced figure than most knee-jerk liberals give him credit for. By the end of the film I had concluded that Bush was a pretty cool guy who should have never ever ever been President of the United States.

I agree with this. The talented comic Mike Birbiglia summed this up with his Whiffle Ball Tony analogy of W.
[YOUTUBE]YcDWRG3d7QM[/YOUTUBE]

[Guest]

Powel

The most overrated political figure of the last twenty years.

[myboynoah]

Realizing the movie was fiction, it made me like George HW Bush a lot more. It portrayed him as having an understanding that the world didn't revolve around America.

We had occasion to go to a meet 'n greet with Father and Mother Bush once, prior to even W running (Clinton was president at the time). Two of the nicest people you would ever meet. Very genuine. He even held Noah while we took a picture (Noah was 2 and munching on a poptart).

Very classy and respectful of the office. That W was so open and cooperative during the transition is no accident. The family gets it that the office is so much more important than the individual.

[Jeff Lebowski]

We had occasion to go to a meet 'n greet with Father and Mother Bush once, prior to even W running (Clinton was president at the time). Two of the nicest people you would ever meet. Very genuine. He even held Noah while we took a picture (Noah was 2 and munching on a poptart).

Very classy and respectful of the office. That W was so open and cooperative during the transition is no accident. The family gets it that the office is so much more important than the individual.

I always liked Bush Sr.