LBJ (2016)
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The film explores the complex political rise of Lyndon B. Johnson following the tragic assassination of John F. Kennedy.
The story
The story begins on November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson and his wife, Lady Bird Johnson, greet President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. While Kennedy is warmly greeted, a disgruntled Johnson is virtually ignored. The narrative then flashes back four years to show Johnson's bullying tactics as Senate Majority Leader and his private fears regarding his ability to compete with Kennedy's public charm. After Kennedy's assassination, Johnson is thrust into the presidency, navigating a precarious situation where he must balance his own ambitions with the demands of a grieving nation and a divided political landscape.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins in Dallas on November 22, 1963, where Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson is sidelined by the popularity of John F. Kennedy. A flashback reveals Johnson's earlier career as Senate Majority Leader, where he bullied colleagues and privately feared he could not match Kennedy's charisma. Despite his denials, Johnson eventually ran for president but lost the nomination to Kennedy in 1960. Kennedy subsequently chose Johnson as his running mate, and they won the election. As Vice President, Johnson struggled for influence against Kennedy's advisors, particularly Robert F. Kennedy. Following Kennedy's assassination in Dallas, Johnson took the oath of office aboard Air Force One. He faced a divided government, with Southern Democrats led by Richard Russell opposing civil rights. Johnson eventually decided to position himself as Kennedy's heir, rejecting compromise in favor of a firm stance on civil rights. He delivered the 'Let Us Continue' speech to Congress, securing a victory for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The film concludes with a text summary of his presidency, noting his passage of the Great Society legislation, his escalation of the Vietnam War, and his decision not to seek re-election in 1968.
- First release year
- 2016
- Runtime (minutes)
- 98
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Rob Reiner
- Writers
- Joey Hartstone · writer; Joey Hartstone · writer
- Cast and characters
- Woody Harrelson · Lyndon B. Johnson; Jennifer Jason Leigh · Lady Bird Johnson; Michael Stahl-David · Robert F. Kennedy; Richard Jenkins · Senator Richard Russell; Bill Pullman · Senator Ralph Yarborough; Jeffrey Donovan · John F. Kennedy; Kim Allen · Jacqueline Kennedy; Brent Bailey · Ted Sorensen
- Genres
- political drama; historical drama; biographical drama
- Themes
- power dynamics; political ambition; civil rights; legacy; succession
- Tone and mood
- serious; historical; dramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- biopic; historical; political; drama
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews from critics, who called it 'surface skimming' and criticized Harrelson's makeup, with some comparing the film negatively to the 2016 HBO film about Johnson, All the Way.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 55% · review count: 84; Metacritic · score: 54 · scale: 100 · review count: 19
- Production trivia
- The script was on the 2014 Black List.; Principal photography took place in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Dallas, and Washington, D.C.; Woody Harrelson signed on to play the lead role on June 16, 2015.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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