Understanding W.

I recently had a conversation with Oliver Stone and Josh Brolin about their new movie, "W." The movie examines the life of President George W. Bush. Stone said the he did the movie because there is no better character than our president. "There's just nobody like him," Stone said. "That's not to say you like him or hate him or love him. He's still bigger than life."

Brolin, who plays the lead character, told me about what he did to prepare for such a role. Watch the video below and find out.

Comments

[mdotbee]

Interesting movie - not fun.

Wow. Now we have just a little inkling that W has a human side. I walked away feeling deadened. 41 and 43 helped grind our nation into the ground. But they thought they were doing the right thing. Admittedly, Stone had a huge amount of material to work with. I wouldn't know how to make this film better - reduce it's scope, wait ten years...? Do it with marionettes, like Team America?

Everyone looked like they were doing Neo-con dress-up. Cabinet Room scenes looked like actors each applying their own character's veneer, doing schtick. Brolin as W felt real and was nauseating. Thandie as Condi - an scowling actress, hunched over with Condi hair. Jeffrey Wright rules the world. But maybe he had the only character that's remotely sympathetic. Toby Jones as Rove almost looked like Truman Capote. i would have preferred Philip Seymour Hoffman as Capote as Rove, but that's just ME.

[HDR]

Saw the film on opening night here in Houston to a packed house. One observation: why was Condi's character so blatantly unflattering while "Rummy" and Wolfowitz were pretty much cut-outs?

Wouldn't recommend it. One reason: too soon. We need to be able to look back on it; not review it while the nightmare continues.

[Oldbuck]

As a former resident of West Texas, the one things pick up about W was he tried nearly everything and was successful at nothing. Daddy money put him in a lot of business. He was always cocky he would tell you how good he was at everything but had the rich boy syndrome could only do and aquire what Daddy's money could buy.

[loonwalk]

I agree. The W character was missing the signature swagger of a con man and was way more serious (and articulate) throughout than I've read from WH insiders.

[Kristen777]

Josh Brolin was brilliant as W. I was however, deeply disappointed in the portrayal of Bush and his administration as a force for imperialism in this country. Stone somehow suggests that this bunch of misguided ideologues stumbled us into this war came across as an easy and watered-down way to slap together the film as easily and quickly as possible.

There was virtually no insinuation of the deliberate orchestration by corporate interests driving us into this unjust occupation in the middle east. Stone portrays them rather as a bunch of confused stooges and actually portrays W as a victim of himself and others who preyed upon his vacancy of intellect and character.

In my opinion - wait for the rental.

[mommadona]

Watching rats in a maze...."What's the right scent...of a woman?"

Now, THAT'S how an actor does prep for a role.

And a very good analogy of The Shrub.

[bail me out]

the whole world knows that Cheny rules america for the past 8 years. Bush was just a puppet King.

[ptarantino]

The one thing Brolin learned about Bush is he is like a rat trying to find the cheese.

[bobh]

Brolin's Bush was charming and amusing and right on in many ways. But left out was the sadistic, petulant, passive-aggressive prick W. Also, his juvenality was not fully conveyed. But I found myself chuckling all through the film.

[Promise]

I loved the movie; it was much better than I expected. Brolin's performance is amazing---hope he gets an Oscar for it. Bush comes across as a really sympathetic figure--stupid, yes, but vulnerable and even likable. Laura is portrayed as something close to a saint, which helps to humanize Bush. The whole film is immensely entertaining. The cast is terrific; besides Brolin, the man who plays his father
(Cromwell?) is wonderful and Richard Dreyfuss plays a deliciously evil Cheney. The woman who plays Condi Rice is a dead ringer for her in looks, thanks to hair and makeup but her voice is horribly annoying. Stone avoids all of the cheap shots he could have taken at Bush and lets his actions speak for themselves. The film is quite funny, especially in the beginning but as the tragedy of the Iraq war becomes more obvious, it doesn't spare the tragic elements. When I attended the film, half of the audience was so moved that they sat silently through all of the closing credits. It's a really important film and I urge everyone to see it.

[cobra30340]

Man, it was a great movie, based on real stories of books about Bush written by insiders of the administration. It was a tragic story though and leaves you to feel sorry for Bush. This story is true and it shows the tragic situation of the presidency right now.

[loonwalk]

I also saw "W" and left disappointed. All the way through, I was asking what the point of the movie was... all Bush Sr's fault? That said, the performance for Colin Powell, Condi, and Cheney were the most interesting parts of the movie. Overall, nearly suitable for 8th grade civics class viewing.

[rock2casbah]

I have heard the same about the Condi actress (I believe Tandy Newton) and I want to see what Jeffrey Wright did with Colin Powell. He makes so much of every role he is given. Brolin is really coming into his own, since he had to fight to come out of shadows his own self. Hard to do, yet he has emerged amazingly impressive in his own right.

[dve2z]

I watched the movie and it was better than I expected.

IMO it was not a neutral depiction of Bush. The scene in empty Oval office is particularly powerful. It was followed by a scene of Bush eating pretzels, and I had a thought "could be Bush contemplating suicide?". But no...

Brolin offered great performance. And for the idea that the film tried to present, he was appropriately cast. But I think in reality the real Bush is not as nearly masculine as Brolin. The real Bush is a coward and fundamentally indecent person, and someone with a low self-esteem. And I don't think he is a real Born-again pious Christian either.

[ignorantwillyharper]

dve2z, I haven't seen the movie as yet, but it sounds like you pretty much have the SOB pegged.

[dc2nm]

Just watched the Movie "W"....horrible piece of fluff that portrays poor little Bushie and his whole administration as victims. Don't waste your money. Not one real issue.

[Bitsko]

Just caught this dreadfully boring and depressing movie. The best things in it are Brolin and Dreyfus. That's about it.