Don't misunderestimate it! (W. (DVD))

Member Name: shaneo632

Product:	W. (DVD)
Date:	06/05/09 (27 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brolin's performance is immaculate, it's fair and unbiased...

Disadvantages: Perhaps TOO fair for some - there's no side taken at all...

Note: originally written for my review website, ShaunMunro.co.uk, thanks!

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Oliver Stone is certainly one of the most divisive filmmakers of our generation, his numerous political polemics (Nixon, JFK) seeing jubilation and outrage in equal measure. Stone's last work - World Trade Center - saw him buck this trend, crafting a piece that, save from meting out any political agenda or ideology, was merely a tribute to the lives lost on September 11th, and in many ways, his latest film, W., is a companion piece to that film.

W. marks a change of temperament for the controversial director (given his very public derision of Bush); in chronicling the life and times of George W. Bush, Stone has aimed to remain impartial, creating what he terms a "fair, true portrait of the man". As much as it may therefore disappoint Bush haters, Stone has crafted a restrained and balanced film that concedes Bush's myriad mistakes, yet channels a resolute sense of humanity through Josh Brolin's exceptional, Oscar-calibre performance.

Intercutting present-day Bush with flashbacks of his formative years, Stone effectively captures the key moments in Bush's life, from his years of alcohol abuse, to his tumultuous relationship with his father (played by James Cromwell), as well as his romantic life with his wife Laura (Elizabeth Banks), his conversion to Christianity, and ultimately his political ascent.

Stone's primary goal here, surprisingly enough, appears to be to humanise Bush, and largely, he succeeds. Stone is fair to note Bush's mistakes, yet balances this with demonstrating the difficulty of his job, both in terms of competing with his ever-squabbling cabinet, and subsequently having to decipher their squabbling into something tangible the American people can understand.

With a lesser cast, W. could very well have malformed as an unintentional comedy (as the marketing initially suggested), yet Stone's immaculate roster gives this film unremitting buoyancy. Of the supporting cast, James Cromwell delivers a typically reliable performance as George H.W. Bush, whilst Richard Dreyfuss is almost unrecognisable in his superb turn as leering Vice President Vick Cheney. Particular mention must also go to Thandie Newton, who, in portraying Condoleezza Rice, remains the film's prime source of comic relief. Jeffrey Wright also demonstrates his acting chops beyond the role of Felix Leiter in the "new Bond" series, and in playing the role of Secretary of State Colin Powell, is easily the most instantly recognisable of Bush's cabinet, accurately replicating the man's presence (as well as his grey hair). In fact, the only unsure or misplaced piece of casting in the entire film is Ioan Gruffud as Tony Blair, yet this scene is brief and none too-distracting from the rest of the picture.

Josh Brolin, however, is the unqualified reason to see W. - whilst he may not physically resemble Bush, even beneath a keg of makeup, he subsumes every other visually and aurally attainable element of Bush's essence. Brolin came to prominence last year with a number of high-profile roles (Planet Terror, In The Valley of Elah, No Country for Old Men and American Gangster), and in W., Brolin well-and-truly falls through the glass ceiling, giving a performance that is certain to garner him his first "Best Actor in a Leading Role" Academy Award nomination.

Brolin's performance also benefits largely from Stanley Weiser's sharp script, which is chock full of witty one-liners that cement Bush's "Southern charm", and for the most part, the political hyperbole is kept to a comprehendible minimum. Weiser's characterisation is nuanced and fair (even making sure to include the infamous "Pretzelgate" incident), although W. sorely lacks a present context - a post-office moment in which he reflects upon his term of Presidency (as is perhaps the result of rushing the film's release to make award season).

Oliver Stone's middling stance will inevitably cause much frustration, and one must ask why he did not wait until Bush had left office to add a much-needed coda sequence to the picture. W. is also replete with a healthy dose of visual allegory pertaining to baseball (as reminiscent of the religious imagery in World Trade Center), which is likely to divide audiences, given its spoon-fed, seemingly unnecessary simplicity. Thus, whilst imbued with a certain inertia, W. is a witty and surprisingly sympathetic document of the most-maligned President of modern times that benefits from chameleonic performances from an electic cast.

Summary: A unique glimpse into the man that would have benefitted from more perspective...