I think most people aren’t quite sure what to make of this film.  It comes across as more of a documentary than a satire, following the Bush family from when Jed and Dubbya are in their teens.  It shows Dubbya’s inability to keep a job, his love of alcohol (all the way through is AA meetings), his tumultuous time while at Yale, all the way up through his elections, the first and second time.  The problem is, none of it was really interesting.  And since this seems to be a documentary, you have to wonder where Stone’s sources come from.  He obviously tried to make it somewhat accurate, now all I can think about is, ‘where did he stray from the truth?’  I have the same question while watching Michael Moore documentaries, and believe me, it’s no fun.

Josh Brolin excels as both the younger, and older Dubbya, and does an impression that would put the SNL cast to shame.  The rest of the cast was just as impressive, except for an oddly characterized Condolizze Rice, played by Thandie Newton.  It almost seems like Stone’s purpose was not to defame Bush, but to expose Washington to be an exclusive ‘good old boys club.’   He also encouraged actual sympathy for Bush, as he’s clearly just searching for the approval of his father most of the movie. In the lower points of the plot, Stone sought after his laughs in cheap ways, like showing Dubbya on the toilet for no apparent reason.  Thanks Oliver, that was hilarious.  He also attacks the media for being such whores when it comes to who’s side their on one day, and who’s the next. And I’m not sure what Colin Powell did right, but for some reason, he’s portrayed as the completely levelheaded one.  The film was uneven, it was unclear what the point was, who he was attacking, what is to be learned.  It fails to leave any sort of lasting impression on its audience.

1 out of 4 stars

Rottentomatoes: 55% – Cream of the Crop: 36%

W. features a stellar cast of fantastic actors: Richard Dreyfus as Dick Cheney.  Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush.  Ellen Burnstyn as Barabara Bush.  James Cromwell as Bush Sr., and the list goes on. This is Stone’s first directing project since 2006′s widely hailed World Trade Center.  Though the film has been screened to several critics, rottentomatoes.com only reports five official reviews, leaving it with an 80% fresh rating.

On behalf of W.‘s production company Lionsgate, eBay will be auctioning off five of the film’s posters, signed by Oliver Stone, Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, and Ellen Burstyn.  The proceeds will all go to benefit Stand Up To Cancer.  The winning bidders will receive the poster as well as a letter of authenticity from Lionsgate.  Bidding has already begun, and will end on October 20th. Click here to find out more about the auctions, W., clips from the movie, trailers, etc., etc.

Check out the hilarious trailer: