W. (film)

W.

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2008 (2008)
Founder	Oliver Stone (director), Stanley Weiser (writer)
Headquarters	United States
Products	Biographical comedy-drama film
Number of employees	Cast and crew

W. is a 2008 American biographical comedy-drama helmed by director Oliver Stone and penned by Stanley Weiser, portraying the life story of George W. Bush. The cast is led by Josh Brolin in the role of Bush, alongside Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Glenn, and Richard Dreyfuss. Production commenced on May 12, 2008, in Louisiana, with Lionsgate handling distribution from October 17, 2008. The film’s production cost was $25.1 million, ultimately earning $29.5 million at the box office.

Plot

In 1966, George W. Bush undergoes fraternity hazing at Yale while showing little enthusiasm for his family’s political legacy. Following an encounter with law enforcement, his father, George H. W. Bush, delivers a stern warning. After finishing college, Bush briefly works in the Texas oil industry before revealing his aspiration to pursue professional baseball. With support from his father, he enrolls at Harvard Business School but faces personal challenges.

By 1977, Bush launches a campaign for Texas’s 19th congressional district but is defeated despite achieving a record Republican vote count. During this time, he meets Laura Lane Welch. In 1986, having embraced born-again Christianity and given up alcohol, Bush mends his relationship with his father and aids in his 1988 presidential campaign. He also takes on an executive role with the Texas Rangers baseball team.

Following his father’s presidency during the Gulf War and subsequent 1992 electoral loss to Bill Clinton, Bush attributes the defeat to decisions related to Iraq. In 1994, despite objections from his parents, he wins the governorship of Texas and later becomes president in 2000.

After the September 11 attacks, Bush identifies Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as the "axis of evil." In 2003, he spearheads the U.S. invasion of Iraq based on contested intelligence concerning weapons of mass destruction. Although initial military operations succeed, difficulties arise when no such weapons are discovered. Key advisors like Colin Powell voice concerns about destabilization risks; however, Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld push for war to reinforce U.S. global influence and promote democracy.

Bush’s administration faces intense scrutiny over these choices, culminating in a public display of uncertainty during a press briefing and introspective moments reflecting on his family’s political heritage and his own ambitions symbolized by a fading dream of baseball.

Cast

• Josh Brolin portrays George W. Bush. Initially considered were Harrison Ford and later Christian Bale, who departed due to issues with prosthetic makeup. Brolin was cast at the last moment and dedicated himself to studying Bush’s speech patterns and mannerisms over time, including changes after 9/11.
• Elizabeth Banks plays Laura Bush, focusing on capturing her essence rather than exact mimicry.
• James Cromwell embodies George H. W. Bush, the 41st president of the United States.
• Ellen Burstyn appears as Barbara Bush, former first lady.
• Richard Dreyfuss takes on the role of Vice President Dick Cheney. Director Stone originally aimed to cast Robert Duvall for this part. Despite conflicts during filming between Dreyfuss and Stone, Dreyfuss later commended Cheney’s authenticity while criticizing public complacency toward the Bush administration.
• Jeffrey Wright portrays U.S. Secretary of State Gen. Colin Powell.
• Scott Glenn appears as U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
• Thandiwe Newton (credited as Thandie Newton) plays National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice.
• Toby Jones acts as Deputy White House Chief of Staff Karl Rove.
• Bruce McGill depicts CIA Director George Tenet.
• Ioan Gruffudd represents British Prime Minister Tony Blair. His significant scene regarding UN involvement prior to the Iraq invasion was largely removed.
• Noah Wyle appears as U.S. Secretary of Commerce Donald Evans.
• Rob Corddry plays White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer.
• Dennis Boutsikaris portrays Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz.
• Randall Newsome appears as Paul Bremer, head of the Coalition Provisional Authority.
• Jason Ritter plays Jeb Bush.
• Michael Gaston appears as General Tommy Franks.
• Tom Kemp portrays David Kay.
• Paul Rae acts as Congressman Kent Hance.
• Stacy Keach plays Earle Hudd, Bush’s spiritual advisor—a composite character drawn from several prominent religious leaders.
• Jesse Bradford appears as Thatcher, a college friend of Bush.
• Marley Shelton portrays Fran, one of Bush’s romantic interests.
• Additional supporting roles include news anchors; Saddam Hussein (played by Sayed Badreya); political figures such as David Frum (portrayed by Colin Hanks) and Jacques Chirac (voiced by Charles Fathy).

Production

W. represents Oliver Stone's third installment in a presidential-themed trilogy covering the period from the 1960s to the present day, following his earlier works JFK and Nixon. Stone was initially set to direct Pinkville, a project centered on the Army’s inquiry into the My Lai Massacre. However, after Pinkville was canceled—due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild strike and Bruce Willis’s withdrawal shortly before filming—Stone shifted focus to the George W. Bush biopic. Subsequently, United Artists discontinued Pinkville, leading Stone to develop W. based on a screenplay by Stanley Weiser, who had co-written Wall Street. Over the course of a year, Stone and Weiser examined 17 books as part of their research.

Stone admitted that some of the dialogue was speculative: "You gather all the facts and capture the essence of the scene to create an accurate representation of what you believe occurred". The film’s financing came from independent sources, including investors from Hong Kong, Germany, and Australia, after American studios opted out. Distribution was managed by Lions Gate Entertainment. Although critical of Bush’s 2003 decision to invade Iraq, Stone maintained that W. was not intended as an anti-Bush critique but rather a behind-the-scenes character study similar in approach to films like The Queen and Nixon. It concentrates on pivotal episodes in Bush’s life. Stone outlined the film as a three-part narrative: Bush’s early challenges, his emergence from his father’s influence, and ultimately the Iraq War.

Initially titled Bush, the project was retitled W. to clearly differentiate George W. Bush from his father. Principal photography occurred in Shreveport, Louisiana, spanning from May 12 to July 11, 2008. Early script segments published by the New York Post anticipated divided opinions: "Supporters of Bush will dislike it, opponents will embrace it." The film premiered on October 17, 2008, shortly before that year’s presidential election, with producers reportedly airing television commercials countering Republican nominee John McCain's campaign ads during the fall election season.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, W. holds an approval rating of 58% based on 222 critiques, with an average score of 6.01/10. The critical consensus reads: "Offering a surprisingly empathetic view of America’s 43rd president, W. is compelling in certain segments but overall remains basic." At Metacritic, it earned a weighted average score of 56 out of 100 from 36 reviewers, signifying "mixed or average reviews."

Roger Ebert described the movie as "fascinating," commending the ensemble cast and particularly praising Richard Dreyfuss’s depiction of Dick Cheney as embodying the character rather than merely impersonating him. In contrast, Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post criticized it as "a hurried, unevenly paced, tonally inconsistent caricature." James Berardinelli unfavorably likened it to sketches from Saturday Night Live, noting that none of the performances matched Tina Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin.

The Bush administration did not issue an official statement regarding the film. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who appears in the movie, dismissed its representation of sibling rivalry as "pure nonsense," suggesting that Stone might have gained more insight through direct discussions with the family. Nevertheless, Timothy Noah from Slate highlighted that many absurd elements were derived from factual sources and argued that the film was overly lenient toward Bush by excluding several contentious events.

In a 2010 interview, Josh Brolin revealed that Oliver Stone met with Bill Clinton, who lent his personal copy to Bush. Brolin stated that Bush had viewed the film and "liked it very much," acknowledging its poignant moments.

The film featured on multiple critics’ top ten lists for 2008. Joe Neumaier of the New York Daily News ranked it eighth among his favorites, while Roger Ebert included it within his top twenty selections without assigning a specific rank.

Box office

During its opening weekend, W. debuted at number four at the box office behind titles such as The Secret Life of Bees, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Max Payne, earning $10.5 million across 2,030 theaters with an average per-theater gross of $5,175. Produced on a budget of $25.1 million, it ultimately garnered $25.5 million domestically and an additional $3.4 million internationally.