A life misunderestimated.|Oct. 17, 2008|United States | Australia | Hong Kong | Switzerland | China|129 Min.|PG-13
Genre: Drama;History
Description: W. is a 2008 American biographical drama film that explores the life of George W. Bush. Directed by Oliver Stone and written by Stanley Weiser, the movie features Josh Brolin in the lead role as Bush. The supporting cast includes Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn, Thandiwe Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Glenn, and Richard Dreyfuss. Filming commenced on May 12, 2008, in Louisiana, and the film was released on October 17, 2008.
The story begins in 1966, depicting George W. Bush’s initiation as a Delta Kappa Epsilon pledge at Yale University. During the hazing, Bush impresses his peers by recalling names and nicknames of fraternity members, while also expressing disinterest in his family’s political legacy. After being jailed for rowdiness following a football game, his father, George H. W. Bush, warns him that this is the last time he will help. Following his graduation from Yale, Bush briefly works in the Texas oil industry before quitting. In 1971, he shares his true aspiration with his father: to work in professional baseball. Bush is admitted to Harvard Business School with his father’s assistance. Later, after a night of heavy drinking, Bush crashes his car and confronts his father in a fistfight, which is stopped by his younger brother, Jeb.
In 1977, Bush announces his candidacy for Congress in Texas’s 19th district. At a barbecue, he meets Laura Lane Welch, who would later become his wife. During a debate, Bush faces criticism from his opponent, Kent Hance, who accuses him of not being a true Texan and using campaign funds to host an alcohol-fueled party for underage students. Despite his efforts, Bush loses the election but achieves the highest number of votes for a Republican candidate in the state’s history.
Cast director: Oliver Stone
Cast actor: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, Toby Jones, Ellen Burstyn, Ioan Gruffudd, Thandiwe Newton, Richard Dreyfuss, Scott Glenn, James Cromwell, Jeffrey Wright
Original name: W.