W

US, 2008, 128 minutes, Colour.
Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Dennis Boutsikaris, Jesse Bradford, Ellen Burstyn, Rob Corddry, Richard Dreyfuss, Scott Glenn, Ioan Gruffudd, Colin Hanks, Toby Jones, Stacy Keach, Bruce Mc Gill, Thandie Newton, Jason Ritter, Marley Shelton, Jeffrey Wright, Noah Wyle.
Directed by Oliver Stone.

Throughout the whole film, audiences will be asking themselves how George W. Bush, with his background and personality actually became president of the United States and was re-elected in 2004 only to end his presidency with his ratings falling to extremely low levels. This film was released the week that Barack Obama was elected as his successor.

For those not particularly interested in George W. Bush or American politics, the film is still continually absorbing as a study of a rather irresponsible and spoilt wealthy young man who cannot hold down a job, is looked down on by his successful father in favour of his younger brother but who is supported by a loving wife, has a born again Christian experience, gives up the drink and becomes ambitious for a variety of motives, including a defiance of his father as well as an attempt to honour his father's memory.

Oliver Stone has explored the American experience in Vietnam and its aftermath in his trilogy, Platoon, Born on the 4th July and Heaven and Earth. He enjoyed fomenting conspiracy theories in his JFK, exploring the personal flaws of Nixon and now takes on both Bushes ( with only a cursory mention of Clinton by Barbara Bush who felt that the Clintons were beneath the Bush family). Richard Dreyfuss, who portrays Vice President Dick Cheney as a reptilian, arrogant eminence grise, said that this film is too empathetic towards George W. Bush. This may be only partly true. There is a certain sympathy for the man and his personal struggles, especially with his father, but the film leaves little doubt that Bush's motivation for invading Iraq was questionable, gung-ho American Manifest Destiny vision, pushing on to Bagdad which he had urged his reluctant father to do, Cheney's desire for empire and oil control in the Middle East with no pulling out of Iraq, a simplistic belief that democracy would instantly flourish in Iraq – let along the false information about weapons of mass destruction.

The core of the film takes place in 2002-2003, the lead up to the war, the invasion, the premature declaration of mission accomplished and the revelations of the inept ambitions of his advisers. While The End comes up on the screen, it was not and still is not the end. Bush's unfinished business is to be handed on to this successor.

There is a succession of flashbacks to Bush's past: his boozy initiation at Yale and the revealing of his strong memory, his job on an oilfield and his throwing in the towel, his father's reprimands and his getting him out of trouble with a pregnant girlfriend. We see his meeting Laura, her influence on him, his running for congress and losing, his drinking and his collapse on one of his regular three mile runs with a subsequent seeking out of a religious adviser and his born again conversion and giving up alcohol. His father invited him to work on his 1988 presidential campaign and he advised his father during the Gulf War. His parents did not approve of his running for governor of Texas – we see him campaigning with the advice of Laura on education despite his inept word choice and faulty grammar. Ironically, he won while his brother, Jeb, lost in Florida (though was elected next time round).

The film takes a lot for granted: the courtship and wedding of W and Laura, most of Bush Sr's presidency, the Florida recount in 2000, even any visuals of 9/11.

George Bush Sr is a strong character who knows politics, can pull strings but who weeps when he finds that his war has not persuaded the American public to re-elect him.

Stanley Weiser (writer of Stone's Wall Street) had a mammoth task in writing a screenplay that assesses recent history before the events have come to their conclusion.

The cast is excellent with Josh Brolin capitalising on his successful performance in No Country for Old Men bringing the younger and the older W to life. There is an enormous pathos in the final scene as he realises that he has been misled and that the job was too much for him – and the question whether he realises this in real life or not. The cabinet personalities are generally well portrayed, especially by Richard Dreyfuss as Cheney and Bruce McGill? as George Tenet of the CIA. Thandie Newton looks exactly like Condoleeza Rice. Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld is not given enough to say (and in real life he was no blushing violet) so that his role is not as clear or as powerful as it actually was. There are fascinating hints at how Karl Rove (Toby Jones) began to control Bush and his thinking and public answers. Ioann Gruyfudd's brief scene as Tony Blair does not adequately illustrate the role that the British Prime Minister played in 'legitimising' the invasion.

It will be interesting to watch W again in five years (and more) when there has been more time and opportunity to evaluate the Bush presidency.

1.The film released on the week of the election of Barack Obama as Bush’s successor? Audience attitudes to Bush, his presidency? In 2008? Later? The film reinforcing views or altering them?

2.The work of Oliver Stone, the American presidency, American history, war? Sympathy for Bush, critique?

3.The title, George Bush as a person, as president, his legacy for the US, for the world?

4.The focus on 2002-2003? The flashbacks to his growing up, his career, the crisis of the Iraq war, the background, the drama?

5.Washington DC, the White House, the Cabinet room? The press room? The contrast with Texas and home? The oilfields? The baseball arenas? Bush as governor and his campaign?

6.The archival footage, of the Bushes, of Congress? John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and their applause for the invasion of Iraq?

7.The archival footage of Iraq, the invasion, the battles, the bombings, the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s statue?

8.The background of the Bush family, their wealth, Texas, their attitudes, the parents and their accomplishment, the two sons, the parents favouring Jeb Bush? George as a disappointment? His father pulling strings for him? His expectations for his son?

9.W. and his father, calling him Poppy? His attitude towards Jeb, the favouritism? His father’s critique of his lifestyle, his drinking, his bailing him out, prison, the shenanigans at college? Pulling strings, Yale and Harvard? The girl, her pregnancy? The father not having confidence in his son? The phone rebukes? Bush’s marriage, his hopes for the basketball job, his not being a commissioner, his decision to run for governor, not getting help from his father (who was supporting Jeb for Florida)? His father asking for his help for the 1988 presidential campaign? His son working for him in 1991, Baghdad issues? Bush senior weeping at the loss of the election? Bush junior becoming president? His attitudes, his father’s assessment of Iraq, the continued pressures? The son disappointed with his treatment by his father yet wanting to vindicate his father?

10.The portrait of George Bush senior: as a businessman, his abilities, political nous, his family, hard, love for Barbara? His office, the rebukes for his son, favouring Jeb and delighting in his success? The 1988 campaign? Becoming president, the Gulf War, the reasons, his decisions? Pulling back from Baghdad? The explanation of his strategies? The loss of the election to Clinton, Barbara Bush’s sneering comment about the Clintons? His retirement? His being in the background during his son’s presidency?

11.Barbara Bush, the matriarch, quick-tempered, her loving her son, being similar to him, her angers, supporting her husband, the sneer at the Clintons? In retirement, her support for Laura Bush?

12.The portrait of W: Junior, the fraternity, the initiation, the booze, the men in the tubs, Bush’s strong memory and getting admiration? His exam results, poor? On the oil rig, too hot, wanting a drink, reprimanded, quitting? The overview of the other jobs that he could not hold down? His wanting to marry Fran, talking to her in the bar? Her pregnancy, his father’s reaction, dealing with it? His drinking, meeting Laura at the barbeque, their talk, marriage, their daughters? The focus on his three-mile runs? On his watching sport on television? His eager eating of sandwiches? His poor grammar and vocabulary? Helping his father in 1988? The television commercial against Dukakis, Willie Horton and the killings? The Gulf War, his attitude towards his father’s decisions, wanting him to go as far as Baghdad? His decision to run for governor, campaigning, the press questions about education, Laura behind him? His drinking, his collapse on his run – and the camera moving towards Heaven? His going to Earle Hudd? Born again, the discussions with Hudd, prayer? His inspiration from God that he should run for president?

13.Laura Bush, attractive, from Texas, at the barbeque, the matchmakers, going out with George, marrying him, the sequences at home, talking, her work as a librarian, education policy, standing by him?

14.2002, post-9/11 (and the absence of visuals of 9/11 in the film)? The presidency, no reference to the disputes in Florida and with Al Gore? His vocabulary, enthusiasm, eating the sandwiches, his advisers, speechwriters, taking the Cabinet on a walk through Texas – and losing the road? His life in the White House? His knowing that he was president and that he had the power?

15.The issues of Iraq, the Cabinet meetings, the attitudes towards the UN, the various countries in the alliance, the varied help, Morocco and its sending monkeys? The scene with Tony Blair – underestimating his role in the decision to invade? The information about the weapons of mass destruction, the writing of the documents for the declaration for the invasion? Bush senior and his not liking the situation? The background of oil and the maps, America’s need for oil? Bush and his belief in democracy springing out? His simplistic views? Ending the meetings with prayer?

16.Dick Cheney, as vice-president, arrogant, his access to Bush, Bush putting him in his place about his ability to relate to people? Plotting the invasion of Iraq, his business interests, the scene with the sandwich and the discussions about one percent threat? Insinuating ideas to Bush, his arguments, oil, empire, the Middle East, not withdrawing from Iraq? Colin Powell and his criticisms of Cheney – and the aftermath?

17.Donald Rumsfeld, his advice and attitudes, his presence in the Cabinet – but the film understating his real-life influence?

18.Condoleezza Rice, Thandie Newton as looking exactly like her, the woman in the Cabinet, her interests in security, her smile, nodding, supporting the president?

19.Paul Wolfowitz, his presence, advice?

20.George Tenet, the head of the CIA, the information about weapons of mass destruction, speculation, false information? The pressures from Dick Cheney? At home, finally agreeing with the Cabinet?

21.Colin Powell, the background in Vietnam, the leadership in the Gulf War, his advice, his critique in Cabinet, his UN speech – his caving in but confronting Cheney?

22.The speechwriters, the information, the orders to insert material and eliminate it? Hearing the speeches spoken? The information about weapons of mass destruction? Unreliable?

23.Karl Rove, working for Bush senior, his advice to Junior, his getting simplistic answers, relying on Bush’s memory? The collusion with Cheney?

24.The build-up to the invasion of Iraq, the exercise of power in the Cabinet, the president and his decisions – and his optimistic and simplistic views?

25.The war, watching it on TV, the Congress applauding the invasion?

26.The newsreel about the plane landing on the ship, Bush and his speech of ‘Mission accomplished’? The ironies?

27.The aftermath, Bush being misled, the lack of preparedness for invasion and occupation? The governor of Iraq, the general – the meetings, Bush rebuking them? The Cabinet members sitting silent? The failure of their judgment, decisions?

28.The final focus of the film, on Bush’s eyes? The motif of his being in the baseball field, trying to catch the ball on the boundary? The finale and there being no ball to catch? The significance of his dream with his father, his father challenging him to fight him? The final focus on his eyes?

29.The overall effect of the film, insight into recent American history, the presidency, equal opportunity for anyone to become president – or the privileged becoming president, capable or not?