W. Parent Guide

Director Oliver Stone put the rush on W. by completing the movie in an amazing 46 days—a brisk pace for a theatrical feature. Why the hurry? According to a New York Times interview on October 10, 2008, reporter Richard Berke paraphrases Stone by saying, “...he hopes his $25 million movie ... will somehow help Barack Obama, though he is not sure how.”

Reading this article after seeing the film only confirmed my initial impressions: W. is an agenda item from start to finish. The script offers a theorized view of history through imagined intimate and private discussions involving George W. Bush (Josh Brolin) in locations ranging from the bedroom to the war room. The story is constructed by inter-cutting scenes of Bush in cloistered discussions with his closest aides making plans for the Iraq war with moments from the President’s earlier years, emphasizing his struggle with alcohol. Flushing any sense of subtlety, the director uses the contrast of a boozing bozo versus Commander in Chief to ensure we get the message.

Certainly when dealing with a subject who is not only alive but still serving in office (unlike Stone’s earlier films about Nixon and Kennedy), it would be impossible to create a political piece that passes everyone’s test of objectivity. But in this case, the obvious disregard to hide partiality does the audience an injustice by assuming this semi-fictitious portrait will influence voters to favor his perspective.

For families, the best this movie may offer is a good exercise in detecting bias and thinking critically. Brolin’s performance is very convincing, so much so that we need to remember much of what is coming from his mouth is pure speculation. The musical score supports the director’s aversion toward his subject (“I got A’s ... he was a C student,” says Stone bitterly in the Times piece) by injecting an implied Texas ignorance through simplistic Americana tunes. Other characterizations—the most extreme being Thandie Newton’s personification of Condoleezza Rice as a simple puppet—border on insulting.

Yet this opportunity for media education comes with content that will prevent some families from engaging in the exercise. Language includes two sexual expletives, frequent scatological and religious profanities, along with other milder words. Bush drinks heavily to the point of aggressive drunkenness on many occasions, including while driving. Other characters also drink and smoke in scenes taking place in earlier time periods. Domestic squabbles, sometimes leading to violent scuffles, are included as well.

It’s unfortunate that, at a time when a thought provoking work of cinema could be very valuable, Oliver Stone has instead crafted a film unlikely to convince anyone to change his or her political preference. While this production may satisfy those already in the throngs of the discontented, it probably will only raise the ire of those who still insist W. is on the right track.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.