It seems hard to believe now, but Oliver Stone's new film 'W' starring Josh Brolin as George W. Bush and Richard Dreyfuss (!) as Dick Cheney may actually generate sympathy for the two men where nothing else could. Watch the trailer and judge for yourself.
Oliver Stone is a brilliant creative artist who has earned every ounce of Oscar gold for his films
Platoon and
Born of the Fourth of July. But as recent film history and the abysmal trailer for
'W' so clearly illustrate, the politics of personal vendetta most often translate into box office poison.
The trailer embedded above is from the new film. Watch it and judge for yourself.
Entertainment Weekly,
Variety and
many others have already thrown their two cents in as well.
In essence, Mr. Stone's new 'biopic' encapsulates every demeaning left-wing perception of President Bush there is: the hard-partying table-dancing college dunce, reckless driver, draft-dodging Air National Guardsman, choking-on-pretzel drunk and out-of control one-man mayhem machine, if the trailer is any harbinger.
The only things that seem to be missing are the swastika armband and
BusHitler toothbrush moustache. It also seems that 9/11 'Truth' conspiracy theories and the black-bag job Darth Vaders of the Dark Side
Carlyle Group will be making guest appearances, with cameos from Blackwater and Halliburton, no doubt.
This is no surprise, really. It would seem some of the top talents in Hollywood just never learn the lesson that a film is supposed to drive politics, not the other way around. Director
Brian de Palma, who has made some of the greatest films ever released, made this crucial mistake with
Redacted, which has grossed a grand domestic total of
$65K to date.
$65K. That's 6500 people at $10 a head. Bomb doesn't even begin to describe it.
I predict similar poor performance for 'W' upon its 10/17/08 release, though like Redacted it is sure to be more successful in Europe, as
Alexander was.
Then again, Stone may have alienated his British audience with his bizzare Jack The Ripper
statement while across the pond.
All things considered, there will most certainly be a left-leaning contingent and core of Stone fans that will flock to this film, but I seriously doubt they will be enough to recoup even the production costs. Also, the time frame is not as optimal for a major release as a July or Christmas opening date would be.
I find the choice of Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney marvelously ironic, considering Mr. Dreyfuss' previous
commentary on the vice president. In fact, both men have been more than outspoken in their condemnation and voicing of
paranoid conspiracy theories of the President and Vice President.
Not exactly an objective viewpoint from which to produce a film biography of a sitting president.
More and more, I'm beginning to believe the axiom that liberal left-wing types go to church to be entertained and to the movies to be preached to. This attitude stands in stark contrast vis-a-vis the overwhelming majority of the American moviegoing public.
I realize this commentary may put me in the same boat as Jon Voight with his
Obama rant, but I call 'em as I see 'em.
Que sera, sera. But I think we all know stinkbombs when we see them. Or don't, as is more often the case. And W looks like a whopper.
It's such a damn shame, too. So much great talent wasted on what is essentially a
Daily KOS hit piece on Bush made celluloid.
See you on W's opening day in October.
Not.
PS David Silverberg, I am with you 100% on your
commiseration in this case.
PPS Catch you all in a couple months. I'll be busy trying to
do better.
Peace :)
