W. (2008) | Rotten Tomatoes (2024)

58%

Tomatometer

224 Reviews

42%

Audience Score

100,000+ Ratings

Flashbacks to key events in his life reveal the rise of George W. Bush from ne'er-do-well party boy and son of privilege to president of the United States. After trading in booze for religion, George mends his aimless ways and sets his sights first on the Texas governorship, then on the presidency. But the country's involvement in the Iraq war decreases his approval rating.

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Critics Consensus

A surprisingly sympathetic portrayal of the 43rd American president, W. is fascinating in spots, but merely rudimentary as a whole.

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Critics Reviews

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Deborah Ross

The Spectator

The trouble, basically, is that this film just doesn't know what it is about. Is it about dynasty? Imperialism? Ambition? The dark side of democracy? What? And, consequently, you are just not made to care about any of it.

Feb 1, 2018

Full Review

Nell Minow

Movie Mom

Rated: B-

Feb 18, 2012

Full Review

Laremy Legel

Film.com

Rated: C+

May 6, 2011

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Brolin embodies his role completely, allowing the audience to forget there’s an actor toiling to perfect every mannerism and speech inflection. From body language to the signature “heh-heh” snicker, Brolin simply is George W. Bush.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 20, 2024

Full Review

David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

The director possesses a lively vulgarity, which he applies to glaringly public and intimate moments alike. Occasionally, this is effective and attractive; here, more often than not, however, it is not.

Feb 13, 2021

Full Review

Jason Best

What's On TV

Overtly mocking satire is rare in the film and it's a shame that Stone has reined in the crazy, flamboyant side we know from such films as Natural Born Killers and JFK.

Nov 14, 2020

Full Review

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Audience Reviews

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nikodemious f Seriously does not encompass any of the highs of the career of the president. Paints him as a horrible person and president. Plays him off as a fool who does not take into consideration any of the advisors. Also uses a horrible actress for one of the presidents advisors. No one in his cabinet looked or spoke like her. The movie was made and portrayed by liberals who did not like him and only wanted to ruin his name and reputation. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 08/07/23 Full Review Lanfranco C W portrayed very well. Rated 3/5 Stars • Rated 3 out of 5 stars 06/03/23 Full Review Audience Member Good acting, interesting portrayal. Won’t watch again Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 12/12/22 Full Review Audience Member I'm no George W. Bush fan, but the movie was a disservice to everyone, including this country. The movie focused purely on President Bush being a drunken, failure in his early years to the mistakes the Bush administration made in the years following the 9/11 Terror attacks. It completely glosses over EVERYTHING President Bush experienced/did in the days/weeks/months following 9/11. The movie plays out as someone who as an agenda rather than any sort of biography. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 02/21/23 Full Review Mike J Sonic I think it's so great for you guys Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 04/29/22 Full Review robert p Finally, a re-enactment of George W. Bush that shows or hints in his cracked administration and the subsequent invasion of Iraq because of miss-leading information of Iraq and it's message of mass destruction, when there was none, his father knew better than to depose a family that ran Iraq as they wanted to, but George W. Bush stood on deck of an aircraft carrier with a sign that Iraq was free and that was not true!!! Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Read all reviews

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Cast & Crew

Oliver Stone Director Josh Brolin President George W. Bush Elizabeth Banks Laura Bush Ellen Burstyn Barbara Bush James Cromwell George H.W. Bush Toby Jones Karl Rove

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Movie Info

Synopsis Flashbacks to key events in his life reveal the rise of George W. Bush from ne'er-do-well party boy and son of privilege to president of the United States. After trading in booze for religion, George mends his aimless ways and sets his sights first on the Texas governorship, then on the presidency. But the country's involvement in the Iraq war decreases his approval rating.

Director: Oliver Stone
Producer: Moritz Borman, Bill Block, Paul Hanson, Eric Kopeloff
Screenwriter: Stanley Weiser
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Moritz Borman, Ixtlan Corporation
Rating: PG-13 (Disturbing War Images|Alcohol Abuse|Language|Sexual References|Smoking)
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 17, 2008, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 1, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.5M
Runtime: 2h 11m
Sound Mix: Dolby, DTS
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)