Although it was marketed as a comedy, writer-director Oliver Stone’s feature film about our 43rd president has few truly humorous moments in it. Yes, George W. Bush is a funny figure, but Stone and screenwriter Stanley Weiser tackle this tale of an American dynasty in standard Stone fashion: with some investigation of the facts and psychoanalysis. George Jr. is portrayed as a guy who can’t keep a job for long and is frustrated by his inability to communicate well with his “Poppy” (James Cromwell, effective as George H. W.). Josh Brolin turns in a brilliant rendering of an official whose mangled English was comically stupefying, while Stone excels once again as the man who is fascinated by the powerful man. –forrest green III
