My in-laws dragged me to see "W" yesterday. Here's my review.

Believe me, after suffering through that sorry bastard for eight years as pResident and an additional four years as Governor of Texas, I had absolutely no desire or interest at all in his story. But since Roger Ebert gave the movie four stars, and since I like to do things with my (Dem) in-laws when I get the chance, and since I had a (rare) free afternoon, I thought what the heck, I'll go.

It was an interesting experience in that it made me think about Dumbya in a different way. Basically, I am now able to entertain the idea that Bush is not a fundamentally evil, incompetent jackass, but that he really might just be a well-meaning incompetent jackass with daddy issues.

Josh Brolin was excellent in his portrayal of the Chimp in Chief. I actually think he should be nominated for an Academy Award. Brolin plays Bush from his college days to the present, and he is very Bushlike throughout without lapsing into parody, which would have been easy to do. Kudos also go to Richard Dreyfuss as a very sinister and lifelike (or undead-like) Dick Cheney. There's a scene where Bush, Cheney, Condi, Rummy, et al, are planning the war on Iraq and the subject of an "exit strategy" comes up. You'll believe it really happened when Dreyfuss looks at the group assembled as if they're just a bunch of stupid kids and says, quite matter-of-factly, "There is no exit strategy. We're never leaving Iraq."

Other performances were not quite as stellar. Thandie Newton is just a little too much of a parody as Condoleezza Rice, but she IS funny. Elizabeth Banks is unbelievably smokin' hot and sweet-natured as Laura Bush. James Cromwell (George H.W. Bush) gives another terrific performance as the farmer from "Babe".

I got the sense while watching this movie that Oliver Stone was bending over backwards not to offend anyone, either left or right, which made me wonder how much of this portrayal I could really believe. For instance, it's accepted at face value that Bush found Jesus at the age of 40 and stopped drinking. From his very behavior, I think he still drinks like a fish and wipes his ass with pages from the Gospels. Colin Powell is portrayed by Jeffrey Wright as a man of principal whose voice just wouldn't be heard over the cries for war from the White House. I wonder how much conscience he REALLY had about all that while he was giving his shameful war-drum production at the UN.

The central thrust of the movie is that Bush is an affable doofus who, because he tried so hard to earn the respect and admiration of his father, was manipulated by others with malevolent intentions into going to war with Iraq, thereby plunging our nation into chaos. Again, I'm not sure how much of that I really believe, but I suppose Stone convinced me to at least think about it. The Bush that Brolin portrays does seem to be a guy you might "like to have a beer with", if only to hear him say dumb, funny things and make an ass out of himself. You can easily picture this Bush hanging out with baseball executives, slapping them on the backs, calling them cute names, and spilling his 7 and 7 all over them. Stone seems to suggest that both he and the American people would be a lot better off if that's what he indeed were doing today.

I summary, was it a good movie? Yes. Was it worth $8.50? Probably not, particularly if you're a long-time DUer and/or have read "Fortunate Son" and/or have kept up with the news for the last eight years. I would definitely rent it, though, when it becomes available, and I wouldn't keep from seeing it just because you've heard it portrays George Bush in a somewhat sympathetic light and you can't stand the guy. There IS a reason why Stone wanted to release this movie just prior to the election: Regardless of your feelings about Bush--whether you love him, despise him, or feel sorry for him--this movie makes it quite clear that our next President absolutely MUST have it all together.

I hope I can get a copy to watch soon.

My sister and I saw the film on Friday. It also made me come away from the theater thinking about how the entire world has suffered from this devastatingly dysfunctional family pathology.
I pity Obama for the mess he is willfully taking on.

I've always kind of suspected that Poppy would rather have seen Jeb in the White House, but unfortunately Jeb has his own baggage that rivals Dubya's when he ran for President.

I just never want to hear the surname Bush again in my lifetime, unless it's in the context of canned beans or the New Orleans Saints.

I haven't been to a movie theater in over 15 years, it might even be closer to twenty years. I just don't enjoy the atmosphere in a theater. You have to deal with rude idiots. If you want a snack you pay out the nose for it. If you have to use the restroom you miss a portion of the movie. If the movie is bad you have blown 8.50 on it. With a DVD from Blockbuster online or netflix you can just pop it back in the envelope & send it back.

Anymore, a movie has to have spectacular visuals--cinematography or effects--as well as a decent story and acting to get my keister in a theater seat. This was one of the rare times I made an exception. This one is really more of a renter.

I was thinking about going to see this, but I'll probably wait for the DVD.

It will rehabilitate George to an unmerited degree. He'll always have his *.

An effable dufus, yes.

And even the most effable dufus will at some point say "no" to the destructive actions going on around him...Bush is as destructive, mocking, and sneering as Reagan. He means what he says (even though it's all mocking lies).

Thanks for the review. "Too soon" is my conclusion..