W.

The Plot: An Oliver Stone film about President Bush's two terms in office.

The Pros: It certainly was interesting to watch Stone's take on the events of the past eight years. Interesting, I say, because the film was anything but enjoyable. Josh Brolin gives George Bush his best shot and, for the most part, succeeds. Much more impressive than his performance, however, is Richard Dreyfuss' portrayal of Vice President Dick Cheney. In fact, Dreyfuss' character work is probably the most fascinating thing about this film.

The Cons: There are far too many to list. For a Presidential drama directed by Oliver Stone, this was a sorely disappointing biography. Thandie Newton's caricature of Condoleezza Rice is juvenile and unresearched, Jeffrey Wright's Colin Powell is completely uninspired; even Elizabeth Banks, a very capable actress, looked as if she was embarassed to be part of the production. Not to mention the fact that the camerawork was some of Stone's most mediocre and boring fare. All of these sore thumbs rest on a plot that attempts to attribute Bush's every decision to a pseudo-Freudian battle between father and son.

The Bottom Line: W. is a rushed production through and through. This is unbelievable for someone like Stone, who has indeed directed two of the finest political dramas to date. He really dropped the ball on this one, however; poor acting by most of the cast, dialogue that could be mistaken for that of a tele-drama, and a general lack of interest shown by the people involved make W. one of the biggest disappointments of this year. If you're still dying to see it, please obtain it illegally; Oliver Stone doesn't need any more support for this film.

The Score: 4 / 10