W. is a 2008 film by director Oliver Stone chronicling the life of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. Unlike Stone's previous presidential films, JFK and Nixon, W. was released during Mr. Bush's tenure in office.
The film focuses on the decision-making process that led to the Iraq War in 2003, while also portraying Bush's youth and alcohol problem to his later life and overcoming his alcoholism through religion. The film also features his George H. W. Bush 1988 election and 1992 defeat, and Mr. Bush's own election to Governor of Texas. The film has been praised for not falling into the trap of portraying Bush as incompetent or war-mongering, rather he is portrayed as an average man who became President at a very difficult time.
Cast
- Josh Brolin as George W. Bush
- Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush
- James Cromwell as George H. W. Bush
- Ellen Burstyn as Barbara Bush
- Richard Dreyfuss as Dick Cheney
- Jeffrey Wright as Colin Powell
- Scott Glen as Donald Rumsfeld
- Thandie Newton as Condoleezza Rice
- Toby Jones as Karl Rove
- Bruce McGill as George Tenet
- Ioan Gruffudd as Tony Blair
- Noah Wyle as Donald Evans
- Rob Corddry as Ari Fleischer
- Dennis Boutsikaris as Paul Wolfowitz
- Stacy Keache as Pastor Earle Hudd
- Jason Ritter as Jeb Bush
- Anne Pressly as News Anchorwoman