Every Oliver Stone Movie Ranked Worst To Best
14. W.
This modern political drama homes in on the life and times of George W. Bush and like Nixon and JFK before it, W. goes for full authenticity. It takes the audience from the 43rd President's education at Yale University, all the way up to his decision to invade Iraq in 2003.
The man in question is played by Josh Brolin and he joins an all-star cast featuring Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn and Richard Dreyfuss. Oliver Stone chose Bush because he found his story fascinating, saying: "I want a fair, true portrait of the man. How did Bush go from an alcoholic bum to the most powerful figure in the world? It's like Frank Capra territory on one hand, but I'll also cover the demons in his private life."
Released in the aftermath of Bush's tenure in 2008, the film's broad coverage of both the personal and political does hit some high notes. Though in a curious omission, George's controversial second term was left out; this could have added more dynamism to the film's narrative.
Much like previous entries on the list, W. fell short commercially. Moreover, if you compare it to Oliver's previous coverage in Nixon and JFK, there's no denying it stands in their shadows.