Having already made intelligent and interesting films based on Kennedy and Nixon, it seemed there would be no one better suited for the job of producing a film on the life of one of America's most controversial presidents, George W. Bush.
W. follows the life of the 43rd American president in the lead up to the Iraq war, flashing back to key moments in the life of Bush junior and exploring the perhaps lesser known aspects of his life, including a battle with alcoholism and the rediscovery of his faith.
The main success in W. is Josh Brolin's superb performance as Bush himself. Still glowing from the success of his performance in the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men, Brolin puts in a balanced and paced performance as the eponymous 'Dubya' and handles the role, which many will inevitably be scrutinising, well.
Unfortunately, Stone is the let down here and the whole film feels rushed and neither here nor there. W. struggles to find its place as a true biopic, skirting a number of major issues - namely the events of 9/11 and Bush's controversial election - while the film also fails in being especially satirical or politicised.
Admittedly, Stone does admirably in attempting to stick to the facts and avoid vilifying the president any more than has been done before. But it is hard to ignore the fact that the film was forced upon audiences during the final build up to the US election, perhaps the last chance to excuse the film as topical.
The rushed production of W. in order to get it into cinemas before the election was well documented in the build up to its release, and perhaps the main contributor to the films pitfalls. However, the finished product is hugely disappointing for those with high hopes from such an acclaimed director.
It is also difficult to see what point the film serves, with Bush standing no chance of re-entering the White House in this year's elections, how and why exactly would a film on his life sway American voters?
Although not a terrible film, W. leaves a lot to be desired, and clearly lacks the thought provoking, carefully constructed film-making of both Nixon and JFK.
An interesting glimpse into the life of one of the world's most powerful men this may be. But riveting, purposeful and smart film-making, it certainly isn't.
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