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W.

Play trailer Poster for W. PG-13 2008 2h 11m Biography Comedy Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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58% Tomatometer 219 Reviews 42% Popcornmeter 100,000+ Ratings
Flashbacks to key events in his life reveal the rise of George W. Bush from ne'er-do-well party boy and son of privilege to President of the United States. After trading in booze for religion, George mends his aimless ways and sets his sights first on the Texas governorship, then on the presidency. But the country's involvement in the Iraq war decreases his approval rating.

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W.

W.

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Critics Consensus

A surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the 43rd American president, W. is fascinating in spots, but merely rudimentary as a whole.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross The Spectator 02/01/2018
The trouble, basically, is that this film just doesn't know what it is about. Is it about dynasty? Imperialism? Ambition? The dark side of democracy? What? And, consequently, you are just not made to care about any of it. Go to Full Review
Sydney Morning Herald 03/06/2009
It's a film with a shelf life, I think. Unlike W himself, it should mature over time. Go to Full Review
Philippa Hawker The Age (Australia) 03/06/2009
2.5/5
Stone and screenwriter Stanley Weiser have little...to offer us. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review 03/20/2024
3/4
Brolin embodies his role completely, allowing the audience to forget there’s an actor toiling to perfect every mannerism and speech inflection. From body language to the signature “heh-heh” snicker, Brolin simply is George W. Bush. Go to Full Review
David Walsh World Socialist Web Site 02/13/2021
The director possesses a lively vulgarity, which he applies to glaringly public and intimate moments alike. Occasionally, this is effective and attractive; here, more often than not, however, it is not. Go to Full Review
Jason Best What's On TV 11/14/2020
Overtly mocking satire is rare in the film and it's a shame that Stone has reined in the crazy, flamboyant side we know from such films as Natural Born Killers and JFK. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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andrea C @Charst 6d Biopic lineare e senza particolari sussulti per Bush jr. raccontato in maniera lucida e senza eccessi, seppure senza mai nemmeno osare nel cercare di raccontare le intenzioni e soprattutto i sentimenti di un personaggio che rimane impermeabile allo sguardo dello spettatore per tutto il film. Pochi flashback e tanti brevi eventi raccontati senza mai entrare veramente nel dettaglio o nel cuore delle questioni. Forse gli aspetti più raccontati sono quelli legati ai rapporti personali del protagonista; che però, come per il resto del film, scorrono senza grandi sussulti seppure senza mai annoiare troppo lo spettatore. See more thiago s @Thiagostone Aug 15 Filme fraco, o roteiro é fraco, as cenas são fracas, a história é fraca, o elenco é fraco, e ninguém ajuda a melhorar o filme, os personagens são fracos, e o filme deveria ter cenas bem melhores e relevantes, para fazer o filme ser bom See more Jeffrey P @vanillavoodoo1 03/20/2025 As far as biographical films go, it was okay. As far as entertainment goes, it’s mildly entertaining and slightly informative. It loses focus in the back half as it delves more into the Iraq War. Still, it’s better than 45/47. See more Alan C @RT79027768 12/23/2024 A great film by Director Oliver Stone. The film has a solid cast and a great storyline. It takes you on a general in depth biopic of the 43rd President George W. Bush. Josh Brolin knocked his portrayal of former President George W. Bush out of the park. He got alot of Bush's mannerisms correct. The film takes a deep look at everything from Bush's very untamed youth, to his decision to quit the bottle to the decision making that went into The War in Iraq. A very eye opening film. Also, Elizabeth Banks shines as Former First Lady Laura Bush. She also got Mrs. Bush's style and mannerisms down to a T. A very well done and eye opening political drama/biopic. Mr. Stone should be proud. An A+ film. See more Blu B @RT43513976 11/18/2024 Looking back I think the biggest problem here is this tried to do two things. It tried serving as a bio pic for Bush AND trying to explain what went wrong with the Iraq WMDs. It's simply too much for a 2 hour film to cover. and what ends up happening. This should've taken a queue from All The President's Men where it didn't try to show all of Nixon's life only 2 years after Watergate, but focused just on the event in razor focus. It didn't need to show the Presiden'ts life to understand the motivations for such a event. The same would porbably work here and that movie didn't even show Nixon once in anything that wasn't stock footage. The editing, pacing, and cinematography aren't good here and everything else is just alright. It's VERY unfocused with it's ideas and skips over big events. We never see bush as a kid despite seeing his early college years. But the father relationship is huge in this so seeing that would've probably helped. we don't see the campaigning, the 2000 election , literally NOTHING once he's elected govenor or Texas, and nothing else besides the Iraq War during his tenue including 9/11. Also his relationship with Cheney isn't really explored. Looking back also, this doesn't do a good job explaining the actual Iraq War origins and kind of just expects you to have lived through those events (a simliar but not as severe problem in All The President's Men had also). There are scenes that are just VERY boring also paritculary anything where they sit around explaining the WMD stuff. It gets very repetitive and the music is SOOOOOO boring. The direction feels inconsisitent. The non WMD White House stuff feels like it was shot by a different director almost and feels uninspired. I will say this. It's impressive given this is Stone that it doens't feel heavily political but I think that's an unintended byproduct of it being so unfocused too. Brolin really is hit or miss here. He feels miscast, alright, and other times does a good job. Dreyfuss as Cheney is solid and the best casting choice in this. Everyone else is very forgettable including Cromwell. There just isn't any electricity between him and Brolin which makes the father son dynamics hard to buy into. Skip This. See more SkyRo P @TheMovieSearch 09/02/2024 "W." is a film that delves into the presidency of George W. Bush, showcasing the historical significance of every individual who holds the highest office in the United States. The movie suggests that every president deserves a biography that captures their time in office, regardless of their successes or failures. Josh Brolin delivers a standout performance as George W. Bush, despite initial skepticism about his casting in the role. He effectively embodies the essence of Bush, portraying him as a somewhat goofy and party-loving figure who may not have taken his political responsibilities seriously at first. The film sheds light on Bush's journey to the presidency, depicting his struggles and personal growth leading up to the events before 9/11. It offers a captivating insight into Bush's term in office, particularly his decisions regarding going to war during his first term. Overall, "W." is a film that exceeds expectations and is worth watching for its portrayal of a complex political figure. See more Read all reviews
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W.

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Movie Info

Synopsis Flashbacks to key events in his life reveal the rise of George W. Bush from ne'er-do-well party boy and son of privilege to President of the United States. After trading in booze for religion, George mends his aimless ways and sets his sights first on the Texas governorship, then on the presidency. But the country's involvement in the Iraq war decreases his approval rating.
Director
Oliver Stone
Producer
Moritz Borman, Bill Block, Paul Hanson, Eric Kopeloff
Screenwriter
Stanley Weiser
Distributor
Lionsgate Films
Production Co
Ixtlan Corporation, Moritz Borman
Rating
PG-13 (Disturbing War Images|Alcohol Abuse|Language|Sexual References|Smoking)
Genre
Biography, Comedy, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 17, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Apr 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA)
$25.5M
Runtime
2h 11m
Sound Mix
Dolby, DTS
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)