Hold my beer while I type this. I’m going to make this as un-political as possible, I promise. I’ve, unfortunately, seen the trailer for the new Oliver Stone movie W. three times. All I want to know is: why?
When it comes to Oliver Stone movies I sit down with the best intentions. Still I have never, never been able to sit through an entire movie. I’ve tried The Doors, Nixon, Natural Born Killers, and JFK. The only movie of his I actually sat through was U-Turn. My friend had it on video, it was late, and I don’t need to explain this to you.
The cast for W. looks impressive: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Richard Dreyfus, James Cromwell, Jeffrey Wright, Ellen Burstyn, Thandie Newton, Toby Jones. All the major players have been covered from G. H. W. Bush to Condolezza Rice, but who plays Jeb? Poor Jeb always gets left out.
Stone seems like he wants to exploit the public history of George Bush. Anyone who hasn’t lived under a rock for the last seven years knows the mythic rumors of Dubbya’s crazy past. Do we seriously need to watch them on the big screen?
Bush will never be my favorite president, but what is the aim of this movie? To glorify drunken Texas antics in hopes that it will inspire the youth of America to become president? The least Stone could have done was wait a year or two after Bush was out of office.
‘Bush bashing’ got old during his first term. Stone should have made this movie five years ago when we had the opportunity to vote Bust out. Now Josh Brolin will go down in history as Mikey’s older brother Brad and George W. Bush.
Ok, pass back that beer, this post is done.
