Barnes at the Movies: W.

"What'd you think?"
"I liked it."
"Me too."
"It didn't really bash Bush."
"I know, he was a goof at some points, but not a total moron. I'm pleasantly surprised."
"Actually, it made me feel sorry for the guy."

That exchange was between me and one of my co-worker friends (who is a hardcore Obama supporter) after we saw the film, W. I include this exchange because I think it best describes what the film's depiction of our 43rd president was all about. However, I believe that the film will still get flack from both sides of the party line. Many republicans will hate the film because they think the president was depicted as too much of a buffoon. Numerous democrats will criticize the film because they'll feel that the movie sympathizes with Bush too much and doesn't portray him as an evil idiot. In the film a young Laura Bush (Elizabeth Banks) tells W. (Josh Brolin) when they first meet that he's "a devil in a white hat." Not pure good. Not pure evil. Sounds like a human, doesn't it?

I was curious to see this movie because of three reasons. One, Oliver Stone's past conspiracy-laced films (JFK anyone?) intrigued me to see how biased he'd portray one of the most polarizing presidents in recent history. Two, with the correct makeup, Josh Brolin looked so much like W. that it creeps me out. And three, unless I am mistaken, this is the first film about a president being released while still being in office. Curiousity had beaten my wallet.

W. follows the adult life of our current president, George W. Bush, Jr., going from his college days to weeks after the "Mission Accomplished" speech on the aircraft carrier following the successful occupation of Iraq. The character of W. is toiling with what to do with his life while not getting the best grades and engaging in rowdy drinking. While struggling with his alcoholism, Jr. is trying to juggle the problems of trying to win the favor of George "Poppy" Bush, Sr. (James Cromwell), competing for parental affection with his more scholastic brother, Jeb, and trying to live up to the high standards that the Bush family clings to. We see George W. Bush struggle and grow from being "Junior" to "W." to "Mr. President."

The depiction of W. is a man of simple pleasures, simple desires, simple education, and poor speaking skills with big ambition, never back down attitude, and big faith. In any other family, this W. would be on the ranch during the day, drink beer all night, and fish on the weekends when not making time with the missus rather than be a politician. In fact, he'd be much happier that way. The crux of the film is that W. is a man that didn't know what he wanted as a young man, tried to live up to his family's idea of what success is rather than finding his own definition, and finding himself in over his head and unhappy when he rises to the top. All of this while trying to do what he thinks is the right thing and what God wants him to do.

The plot is about George W. Bush, the man. The Iraq conflict and 9/11 are referenced, but are backdrops not plot points. The snafus during the 2000 election aren't referenced at all. This movie is not focused on his politics. It focused on the man. That's why I liked it. It didn't preach loudly towards the right or left.

Josh Brolin does a fantastic job as the president and deserves an Oscar. His portrayal is dead-on in both delivery and even body movement. When W. is supposed to be charming and befuddled, he does it well without going into a cartoony-SNL-sketch comedy vein. When W. is supposed to be serious and smart, he pulls it off and makes it believable.

The rest of Bush's inner circle are portrayed very well. Jeffrey Wright's Colin Powell comes off looking like a hero and makes the audience wonder "why didn't he run for president." If there are any villains in this film it would arguably be Scott Glenn's Donald Rumsfeld, but definitely Richard Dreyfuss' Dick Cheney. In many scenes, Cheney is depicted as cold, manipulative and the little devil whispering in W.'s ear while the angel on W.'s other shoulder stutters.

The soundtrack and look of the film do it justice. Nothing dark and dreary, nothing goofy. It all fits the mood. There are parts in which we laugh at W. (remember when he choked on a pretzel?), but ultimately the audience will look at Bush as not an evil mastermind nor a great man. Not a pure idiot, not good stock from an affluent American family. Just a...human. This human just happens to be the president. The focus of the next generation is to surpass the previous ones, sons to surpass their fathers. This one did what he could to do that, but was ultimately unhappy.

So check out it. It won't share space on my DVD shelf once it leaves theaters, but it is good story. Fact? Debatable. Story? Definitely.