History Film / W

* EnhancedInterrogationTechniques: DickCheney uses the trope name in a scene where he has Bush sign an order authorizing it.

The film is notable for being the first Presidential {{Biopic}} to be released while the subject was still in office, and the only one until ''Film/SouthsideWithYou'' and ''Barry'' came along in 2016[[labelnote:*]]though, unlike ''W.'', neither of those cover UsefulNotes/BarackObama's actual presidency[[/labelnote]]. Understandably, the film faced a good deal of controversy when (and even ''before'') it was released. [[FlameBait Conservatives accused it of being liberal propaganda, and many liberals accused Stone of being too]] ''[[FlameBait soft]]'' [[FlameBait on Bush]]. (Basically, the same criticisms Stone received for ''Film/{{Nixon}}''.) It received mixed, but still generally positive reviews, with lots of praise for the uncanny performances by Brolin, Cromwell, and Dreyfuss.

Creator/OliverStone was later told by UsefulNotes/BillClinton that he had loaned Bush his DVD of ''W.'' and that Bush found some parts very sad but liked the film very much.

-->'''Bush:''' “There’s no way I’ll ever be out-Texaned or out-Christianed again!”

The film is notable for being the first Presidential {{Biopic}} to be released while said President was still in office, and the only one until ''Film/SouthsideWithYou'' and ''Barry'' came along in 2016[[labelnote:*]]though, unlike ''W.'', neither of those cover UsefulNotes/BarackObama's actual presidency[[/labelnote]]. Understandably, the film faced a good deal of controversy when (and even ''before'') it was released. [[FlameBait Conservatives accused it of being liberal propaganda, and many liberals accused Stone of being too]] ''[[FlameBait soft]]'' [[FlameBait on Bush]]. (Basically, the same criticisms Stone received for ''Film/{{Nixon}}''.) It recieved mixed, but still generally positive reviews, with lots of praise for the uncanny performances by Brolin, Cromwell, and Dreyfuss.

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Wposter_1290.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:300:...Misunderestimated indeed.]]

'''''W.''''' (pronounced "Dubya"[[note]]After the way it's pronounced in [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]], the state of which Bush was governor, and was a nickname for Bush himself[[/note]]) is a 2008 {{Biopic}} of the 43rd President of the United States of America, UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush that was directed by Creator/OliverStone and written by his ''Film/WallStreet'' screenwriter Stanley Weiser.

It tells the story of Bush's life from his college years to his Presidency, but is based around his administration's push for the war with Iraq. Creator/JoshBrolin stars as George W. Bush, with Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, Creator/JamesCromwell as George H.W. Bush, and Creator/RichardDreyfuss as Dick Cheney. It is a largely sympathetic portrayal of the man, but also has a bit of a satiric edge.

If you're looking for the Canadian animated series about a guy stuck on a desert island, go [[WesternAnimation/{{W}} here]].

'''''W.''''' (pronounced "Dubya" [[note]]After the way it's pronounced in [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]], the state of which Bush was governor, and was a nickname for Bush himself[[/note]]) is a 2008 {{Biopic}} of the 43rd President of the United States of America, UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush that was directed by Creator/OliverStone and written by his ''Film/WallStreet'' screenwriter Stanley Weiser.

The film is notable for being the first Presidential {{Biopic}} to be released while said President was still in office, and the only one until ''Barry'' came along. Understandably, the film faced a good deal of controversy when (and even ''before'') it was released. [[FlameBait Conservatives accused it of being liberal propaganda, and many liberals accused Stone of being too]] ''[[FlameBait soft]]'' [[FlameBait on Bush]]. (Basically, the same criticisms Stone received for ''Film/{{Nixon}}''.) It recieved mixed, but still generally positive reviews, with lots of praise for the uncanny performances by Brolin, Cromwell, and Dreyfuss.

'''''W.''''' (pronounced "Dubya" [[note]]After the way it's pronounced in [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]], the state of which Bush was governor[[/note]]) is a 2008 {{Biopic}} of the 43rd President of the United States of America, UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush that was directed by Creator/OliverStone and written by his ''Film/WallStreet'' screenwriter Stanley Weiser.

* TheWarOnTerror: Afghanistan is regarded as an exercise and not as a real war and Cheney views the aftermath of 9/11 [[LetNoCrisisGoToWaste as an opportunity for Empire-building]] in the Middle East.

* LogicalFallacies: Rumsfeld smugly uses "absence of evidence is not evidence of absence", which in due context is a valid argument, but in the movie he invokes it during the discussion about the [=WMDs=] and comes off as a gung-ho handwave.

** The movie's portrayal of the 1992 election is largely inaccurate to say the least. While the movie portrays the Bush family as shocked and pissed off when Clinton's victory was announced, it is historically documented that the family knew that the election was lost by the afternoon, and that Bush Sr. took the evening results in stride and good humor.

* HannibalLecture: After Powell rips apart his entire strategy on Iran, Dick Cheney's speech to the cabinet on how to best create an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVmVdOohAXg American empire in the Middle East]].

* TrailersAlwaysLie: The trailers made it out to be a surrealistic, mocking satire about a gibbering retard and his idiot presidency. The real film is much more serious and treats the main character as complex and with some sympathy.

The film is notable for being the first Presidential {{Biopic}} to be released while said President was still in office, and the only one until Film/{{Barry}} came along. Understandably, the film faced a good deal of controversy when (and even ''before'') it was released. [[FlameBait Conservatives accused it of being liberal propaganda, and many liberals accused Stone of being too]] ''[[FlameBait soft]]'' [[FlameBait on Bush]]. (Basically, the same criticisms Stone received for ''Film/{{Nixon}}''.) It recieved mixed, but still generally positive reviews, with lots of praise for the uncanny performances by Brolin, Cromwell, and Dreyfuss.

* ArtisticLicenseHistory: Deliberately invoked; many of Bush's famous [[{{Malaproper}} Malapropers]] are moved to different points in time for comic purposes.

The film is notable for being the first Presidential {{Biopic}} to be released while said President was still in office, that is, until Film/{{Barry}} came along. Understandably, the film faced a good deal of controversy when (and even ''before'') it was released. [[FlameBait Conservatives accused it of being liberal propaganda, and many liberals accused Stone of being too]] ''[[FlameBait soft]]'' [[FlameBait on Bush]]. (Basically, the same criticisms Stone received for ''Film/{{Nixon}}''.) It recieved mixed, but still generally positive reviews, with lots of praise for the uncanny performances by Brolin, Cromwell, and Dreyfuss.

* FreudianExcuse: One of the criticisms leveled at the film by Liberals was in its near-complete reliance on this to explain Bush's flaws. George Sr. is a well-meaning but emotionally distant father unable to have a face to face talk with his son, who feels haunted by the disdain well into his so called adulthood. His mother Barbara barely hides her criticism and scorn. See also TheUnfavorite and WellDoneSonGuy.

The film is notable for being the first Presidential {{Biopic}} to be released while said President was still in office. Understandably, the film faced a good deal of controversy when (and even ''before'') it was released. [[FlameBait Conservatives accused it of being liberal propaganda, and many liberals accused Stone of being too]] ''[[FlameBait soft]]'' [[FlameBait on Bush]]. (Basically, the same criticisms Stone received for ''Film/{{Nixon}}''.) It recieved mixed, but still generally positive reviews, with lots of praise for the uncanny performances by Brolin, Cromwell, and Dreyfuss.

* UnintentionalPeriodPiece: The portrayal of Jeb as the competent brother seems rather odd after his failed 2016 Presidential Campaign. Not only did the campaign seriously hurt Jeb's public image, when George gave a speech at a South Carolina rally, condemning [[DonaldTrump hateful and divisive rhetoric]], many came to view it as George's CrowningMomentOfAwesome.

'''''W.''''' (pronounced "Dubya" [[note]]After the way it's pronounced in [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Texas]], of which Bush was state governor[[/note]]) is a 2008 {{Biopic}} of the 43rd President of the United States of America, UsefulNotes/GeorgeWBush that was directed by Creator/OliverStone and written by his ''Film/WallStreet'' screenwriter Stanley Weiser.