Saturday, October 11, 2008

W (the movie)

Oliver Stone has a new movie coming out about George W Bush called "W." But I'm wondering who the audience is for this movie. Those in the 20% or so who currently still approve of the President's job will not want to see this film that will undoubtedly put the President in negative light. Do the rest of us, who are frustrated with the way the President has done things really want to re-live the last 7+ years worth of criticism? It seems unlikely to me. Maybe Stone was just hoping to put in his input for the upcoming election by timing the movie so close to the Election Day, but it seems to me that it's just a bit too soon to be making this film.

2 comments:

PJ said...

I am of a similar mind--it's too soon. There hasn't been enough time for historical perspective; furthermore, portraying Bush as a dimwit after all these years now seems pointless.

The timing of this serves the purpose of being controversial, which is consistent with Oliver Stone's career. I think this movie might be pretty entertaining, but I have no plans to see it anytime soon.

Anonymous said...

Audience is not US.
Audience is international audience.

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Many potential viewers may skip "W." because they already have passed judgment on Bush, Dreyfuss said.

"Those few brave band of brothers who are still for Bush won't see it, and those many who are now against Bush don't have to see it," Dreyfuss said. "I do believe that this film will be a knocked-out-of-the-ballpark winner overseas. I think every country on Earth wants to see this film, because every country on Earth has been wanting to hear Americans critique George Bush."

Co-star Scott Glenn, who plays Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, marveled that such a film could even get made, no matter whether or not viewers agree with it.

"Even though we've fallen very far, it says I think some wonderful, central thing about this country," Glenn said. "Where else could this have been done? In France? I don't think so, where they have a national board that reviews films. In Russia? Give me a break. How about Iran? A film about (Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad made by Iranians and released while he's still there? China? Do you really think so?

"I mean, where else could this happen? The fact that it's happened, regardless of whether you're on the right, the left or in between, just the fact it's happened I think is a cause for celebration."