Colin Miller reviews Oliver Stone’s W. A biopic on possibly the most misunderestimated president in modern history.

The words Oliver Stone and political drama almost go hand in hand together – so there was little surprise when it surfaced the director was making a film about the life and times of George W Bush.

And considering Oliver Stone's notable obsession with cover-ups and conspiracy theories, there was little expectation the film would show the 43rd president in a particularly good light.

Surprisingly, however, W is quite a sympathetic piece which concentrates on how Bush battled alcoholism, found his faith and gained his father’s pride. Oh, there are some bits about a war in Iraq and how he dealt with the modern day threat of “terrar” (terror).

Played almost to perfection by Josh Brolin, Bush is portrayed as a very determined individual.

The film starts off with a meeting in the White House where George and his administration are preparing for his now infamous speech about the Axis of Evil.

From there the film flashes back and forth to his younger days and back to his time as president.

We see George as a young man, battling alcoholism and consistently getting bailed out by his father. Going from job to job and drink to drink, George is reprimanded by ‘Poppy Bush’ and soon enough he finds love, religion and politics.

From the very moment he discovers Christianity, this new incarnation of Bush starts to believe everything he is doing is right and for the greater good of peace, democracy and freedom.

There's some very touching scenes where he visits a bunch of injured soldiers from the Iraqi war – victims who have lost their limbs and all he can do is smile, thank them for their efforts and give them a t-shirt saying something along the lines of “fighting the good fight”.

The man doesn't even consider for one moment, their feelings or the sacrifice they have made and whether any of it is worth the price they have paid. This is all because of his blinkered faith and the belief God is on his side. It is almost scary.

Considering this is an Oliver Stone film, it’s surprising Bush was not depicted as more of a warmongering tyrant. Instead, he is portrayed as a simple, charming, naive and dare I say it, likeable man, who just happens to be in the worlds most powerful position in a most turbulent time.

While he is not displayed as a complete cretin, Oliver Stone does let the odd moment of stupidity slip in. There are at least three classic Bushisms in the film and Dubya's personal sacrifice of quitting sweets, in an effort to help support the troops in Iraq is as baffling as it is hilarious.

The use of music in W is very effective, if a little odd. Having the theme tune to Robin Hood play when George is discussing peace and freedom in the Middle East, is a nice comical touch. Again, the same trick is applied to some archive footage of the Iraq war, except this time the music is the 1969 Norman Greenbaum hit Spirit in the Sky highlighting this war is one of religious significance.

Josh Brolin has the accent and the mannerisms of Bush nailed and it is almost a wonder how he wasn't nominated for an Oscar for this role. The academy must of misunderestimated his portrayal.

The supporting cast also lend some weight to the film. Richard Dreyfus is particularly good as the rather chilling Dick Cheney, the real villain of the piece.

A few roles are miscast. Thandie Newton, while looking the part as Condolezza Rice does struggle with her accent a little bit. Yet, Elizabeth Banks (Laura Bush) and Jeffrey Wright (Colin Powell) are criminally underused.

It should be noted the events of September 11 are rarely touched upon. This seems a rather odd omission considering it is such a pivotal moment during Bush's tenancy in the White House. A scene or two could have been thrown in, demonstrating how Bush may have reacted at the time. We all know he was at a school, reading a book in front of a class of infants, but what happened after that? This seems like a missed opportunity to not explore this tragic and unbelievable event.

Yet, W is an interesting take on the story of the 43rd President. If you enjoyed The Queen and Nixon, chances are you are going to like this film. If however, you are looking for a film that does a bit of Bush bashing, watch a Michael Moore documentary instead.

W (15) is out on DVD now.

DVD Special features:

  • Dangerous Dynasty: A feature on the modern history of Republican politics and the Bush administration. (17 minutes)
  • No Stranger to Controversy: A look at Oliver Stone and why he took on the project, with contributions from the cast and crew. (16 minutes)
  • Deleted Scenes: a selection of deleted scenes (16 minutes)
  • Directors commentary: by Oliver Stone