W. (2008)
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A biographical drama tracing the life of George W. Bush from his college days to the presidency.
The story
In 1966, George W. Bush undergoes a fraternity initiation at Yale University, where he expresses no interest in his family's political legacy. After a period of personal struggles, including a stint in an oil patch and a car crash, Bush is accepted into Harvard Business School with his father's help. In 1977, he begins his political journey by running for Congress in Texas. Despite losing his initial election, he gains significant attention. The film follows his path toward the presidency, including his conversion to Christianity, his role in the Gulf War, and his eventual victory in the 2000 presidential election.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The film begins in 1966 with George W. Bush's hazing as a Delta Kappa Epsilon pledge at Yale, where he declares no interest in his family's political legacy. After being jailed for rowdiness, his father, George H. W. Bush, offers limited help. Bush briefly works in a Texas oil patch before attending Harvard Business School. In 1977, he runs for Congress in Texas's 19th district; though he loses, he receives a record number of votes for a Republican. In 1986, Bush becomes a born-again Christian and mends ties with his father. He serves as a front office executive for the Texas Rangers while his father oversees the Gulf War. Following his father's 1992 loss, Bush blames the failure to invade Iraq. In 1994, he wins the governorship of Texas. After winning the presidency in 2000, he labels Iran, Iraq, and North Korea the 'axis of evil.' In 2002, he prepares for war in Iraq against Saddam Hussein's alleged nuclear weapons. Despite warnings from Colin Powell, the U.S. invades in 2003. After the 'Mission Accomplished' speech, the insurgency begins and no weapons of mass destruction are found. Bush is left flustered by press questions about his mistakes and suffers a nightmare where his father accuses him of ruining the family legacy.
- Original title
- Bush
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 129
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Oliver Stone
- Writers
- Stanley Weiser · writer
- Cast and characters
- Josh Brolin · George W. Bush; Elizabeth Banks · Laura Bush; James Cromwell · George H. W. Bush; Ellen Burstyn · Barbara Bush; Richard Dreyfuss · Dick Cheney; Jeffrey Wright · U.S. Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell; Scott Glenn · U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld; Thandiwe Newton · U.S. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice
- Genres
- biographical comedy-drama; biographical drama; political drama
- Themes
- Family legacy; Political ambition; Alcoholism; Religious conversion
- Tone and mood
- Chamber piece; Not as dark in tone
- Premise and plot tags
- Biographical; Political; Historical
- Source material / true-story basis
- Life of George W. Bush
- Franchise connections
- Presidency trilogy
- Reception
- The film received mixed to average reviews, described as a surprisingly sympathetic but rudimentary portrayal of the 43rd president. It appeared on some critics' top ten lists of 2008.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 58% · review count: 222; Metacritic · score: 56 · scale: 100 · review count: 36
- Production trivia
- The film was originally titled Bush.; The producers ran television spots for the film opposite Republican Party presidential nominee John McCain's ads in the fall of 2008.; Josh Brolin spent months working on Bush's distinctive vocal style, calling hotels in Texas and talking to the people at the front desk.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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