BlackListed! Magazine

If you haven’t had enough of George W. Bush already, then “W.” is the movie for you. Not only does it recap on some of the most memorable events of his administration — from choking on a pretzel to invading Iraq — it shows different parts of George that the public isn’t all too familiar with.

The film isn’t as biased as one would imagine, though it didn’t have to be. Using Bush’s direct quotes is enough to merit a satire. The movie does a good job in not taking an obvious side about whether or not it is meant to praise or criticize the president. It only presents his life and allows the viewers to make decisions themselves. The scenes deliver a sense of reality that make the movie palatable. The meetings, for example, show Colin Powell (Jeffrey Wright) disagreeing with the desire to invade Iraq. Then, however, Colin Powell concedes and tries to sell the idea as if he had supported it from the very beginning.  

Another aspect of the movie that lends to its objectivity is its inclusion of the constant theme throughout the film — George W. Bush’s relationship with his father, George H. W. Bush. The dynamic between father and son proves to be an interesting one that almost (almost) stirs up genuine sympathy. This internal, emotional conflict propels the movie by making George W. Bush seem human and somehow relatable. Throughout the film, Bush struggles to prove himself to his father while feeling shadowed by his family’s name and legacy. He starts out partying and drinking, not staying with a single job for very long and disappointing his father. When he tells his father he’ll change, he eventually quits drinking and becomes a born-again Christian. He soon decides that God called him to be the president, even though he claims he doesn’t want to be. Even after winning the presidency, he feels that his father isn’t as proud as he should be. The pressure to measure-up to other’s expectations makes Bush seem like a “character” to be pitied, an interesting new perspective to have.

The film covers a vast time period from the 1960s to after the invasion of Iraq. The scenes are weaved from present to past, showing George W. growing and working to find his purpose while showing his choices in the presidency. This was very effective in that it matches up his character development with his later choices. When George W. decides that his father was weak in his presidency and tells his father that he should have invaded more countries, he resolves to take greater action and make firm decisions. He then goes on to invade Iraq, an action that can be attributed to his past realizations. A few scenes of Bush in a baseball field are placed between the past and present scenes and portray Bush’s thoughts and desires in an interesting, relatable way. When he wishes to be a baseball player and not what his father wants him to become, he imagines himself catching the baseball in outer field to “win the game.” This is a fascinating technique that allows the viewer into his mind in a subtle way.

Regardless of your opinion on George W. Bush, the movie is an interesting portal into the life and struggles of not only Bush, but of a lot of people in politics. This biographical movie presents Bush’s life in a way that allows greater interpretation of him as a human being. These alternative perspectives are always good to have, even if you still think he’s the worst president in history when walking out of the theater.