Movie and TV Presidents: Josh Brolin as George W. Bush
These days actor Josh Brolin can be found on the big screen as the Marvel Comics uber-villian Thanos. But in 2008, as the end of the presidency of George W. Bush was approaching, Brolin gave an unkind portrayal of the incumbent president in the film W. This was an Oliver Stone film and the director and lead actor worked together to make Bush appear more like a simple country bumpkin than in the sympathetic light that Bush had been portrayed earlier in his presidency in movies that told the story of the September 11th attacks.
Besides Brolin in the lead role, the cast of the movie included James Cromwell as George H. W. Bush, Toby Jones as Karl Rove, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush and Bruce McGill as CIA Director George Tenet.
The film begins in 1966, showing George W. Bush endure an alcohol-fueled initiation by his fellow Yale University students as a Delta Kappa Epsilon pledge. Later, the film shows Bush jailed in New Jersey for rowdiness following a football game, as his father, George H. W. Bush, states that he will help his son, but for the last time. Following his graduation from Yale, Bush takes a job at an oil patch back in his home state of Texas, but he quits after only a few weeks. Shortly after this, George W. reveals his real aspirations in a father-son talk: working in professional baseball, in some capacity. Soon afterwards, Bush is accepted into Harvard Business School with the help of his father. Later that night after drinking heavily, Bush crashes his car into his family estate and challenges his father to a fistfight. In 1977, Bush announces he will run for Congress in Texas. At a barbecue, Bush meets his future wife, Laura Lane Welch. The film show Bush criticized by his Democratic opponent, Kent Hance, who says that Bush is not a "real Texan". Bush does poorly in the debate and loses the election, but with the highest number of votes for a Republican candidate in the state's history. Angered by his loss, Bush declares that he will "never be out-Texas'd or out-Christianed again".
The film moves to 1986, when Bush becomes a born-again Christian, gives up alcohol, and mends his relationship with his father, assisting his father with his 1988 presidential campaign. Bush's political advisor, Karl Rove, tells him that he has the potential to make a name for himself. Bush becomes a front office executive of the Texas Rangers baseball team, while his father oversees the victory of the Persian Gulf War. Although Allied forces win the war within 100 hours, the elder Bush decides not to invade Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein. After his father loses the 1992 presidential election to Bill Clinton, Bush blames the loss on his decision not to depose Saddam.
In 1994, Bush decides to run for Governor of Texas despite his father's opposition. The movie continues to Bush's successful bid to become President. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Bush labels three of America's enemies – specifically Iran, Iraq, and North Korea — as the "axis of evil" and he begins searching for evidence that Saddam was creating nuclear weapons. In his State of the Union Address in 2003, Bush states that: "Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists." In March of that year, the U.S. invades Iraq and at first, the war appears to be a success, and Bush gives his infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech on an aircraft carrier. When it becomes clear that there are no weapons of mass destruction within Iraq, Bush is asked in a White House press conference what mistakes he made as President, a question that leaves him flustered. In the final scene of the film, Bush dreams of playing center field at a baseball game. Bush attempts to catch a pop fly, but it quickly disappears.
W. received mixed reviews from critics. Giving the film four stars in his review, Roger Ebert wrote that it was "fascinating" and praised all the actors, especially Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney. Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post called the film "a rushed, wildly uneven, tonally jumbled caricature."
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is portrayed in the film, called the sibling rivalry portrayed in the film "high-grade, unadulterated hooey" and said that Stone's exploration of the family dynamic could have benefited from actual conversations with the Bush family. According to New York Times' Lynne Hirschberg, Bush did in fact watch the film. Oliver Stone claimed that he met with Bill Clinton in China and Clinton told Stone he'd lent his copy of W. to Bush. Apparently, Bush "liked it very much" and "thought there were sad moments."
The film opened No. 4 behind The Secret Life of Bees, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Max Payne, respectively with $10,505,668 from 2,030 theaters with a $5,175 average. The film had a budget of $25.1 million and grossed $25,534,493 in North America, and $3,401,242 internationally.
Following is the film's trailer:
Besides Brolin in the lead role, the cast of the movie included James Cromwell as George H. W. Bush, Toby Jones as Karl Rove, Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell, Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice, Scott Glenn as Donald Rumsfeld, Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney, Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush and Bruce McGill as CIA Director George Tenet.
The film begins in 1966, showing George W. Bush endure an alcohol-fueled initiation by his fellow Yale University students as a Delta Kappa Epsilon pledge. Later, the film shows Bush jailed in New Jersey for rowdiness following a football game, as his father, George H. W. Bush, states that he will help his son, but for the last time. Following his graduation from Yale, Bush takes a job at an oil patch back in his home state of Texas, but he quits after only a few weeks. Shortly after this, George W. reveals his real aspirations in a father-son talk: working in professional baseball, in some capacity. Soon afterwards, Bush is accepted into Harvard Business School with the help of his father. Later that night after drinking heavily, Bush crashes his car into his family estate and challenges his father to a fistfight. In 1977, Bush announces he will run for Congress in Texas. At a barbecue, Bush meets his future wife, Laura Lane Welch. The film show Bush criticized by his Democratic opponent, Kent Hance, who says that Bush is not a "real Texan". Bush does poorly in the debate and loses the election, but with the highest number of votes for a Republican candidate in the state's history. Angered by his loss, Bush declares that he will "never be out-Texas'd or out-Christianed again".
The film moves to 1986, when Bush becomes a born-again Christian, gives up alcohol, and mends his relationship with his father, assisting his father with his 1988 presidential campaign. Bush's political advisor, Karl Rove, tells him that he has the potential to make a name for himself. Bush becomes a front office executive of the Texas Rangers baseball team, while his father oversees the victory of the Persian Gulf War. Although Allied forces win the war within 100 hours, the elder Bush decides not to invade Iraq to depose Saddam Hussein. After his father loses the 1992 presidential election to Bill Clinton, Bush blames the loss on his decision not to depose Saddam.
In 1994, Bush decides to run for Governor of Texas despite his father's opposition. The movie continues to Bush's successful bid to become President. Following the September 11 attacks in 2001, Bush labels three of America's enemies – specifically Iran, Iraq, and North Korea — as the "axis of evil" and he begins searching for evidence that Saddam was creating nuclear weapons. In his State of the Union Address in 2003, Bush states that: "Either you're with us, or you're with the terrorists." In March of that year, the U.S. invades Iraq and at first, the war appears to be a success, and Bush gives his infamous "Mission Accomplished" speech on an aircraft carrier. When it becomes clear that there are no weapons of mass destruction within Iraq, Bush is asked in a White House press conference what mistakes he made as President, a question that leaves him flustered. In the final scene of the film, Bush dreams of playing center field at a baseball game. Bush attempts to catch a pop fly, but it quickly disappears.
W. received mixed reviews from critics. Giving the film four stars in his review, Roger Ebert wrote that it was "fascinating" and praised all the actors, especially Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney. Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post called the film "a rushed, wildly uneven, tonally jumbled caricature."
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who is portrayed in the film, called the sibling rivalry portrayed in the film "high-grade, unadulterated hooey" and said that Stone's exploration of the family dynamic could have benefited from actual conversations with the Bush family. According to New York Times' Lynne Hirschberg, Bush did in fact watch the film. Oliver Stone claimed that he met with Bill Clinton in China and Clinton told Stone he'd lent his copy of W. to Bush. Apparently, Bush "liked it very much" and "thought there were sad moments."
The film opened No. 4 behind The Secret Life of Bees, Beverly Hills Chihuahua, and Max Payne, respectively with $10,505,668 from 2,030 theaters with a $5,175 average. The film had a budget of $25.1 million and grossed $25,534,493 in North America, and $3,401,242 internationally.
Following is the film's trailer: