CORRECTION APPENDED

Any American who has the slightest contact with a television, radio, or newspaper knows the unlikely story of George W. Bush: a party-going, beer-loving, underachieving cowboy from Texas somehow beats all odds to become the 43rd President of the United States. But “W.,” Oliver Stone’s disappointing and ill-advised dramatization of this story, “misunderestimates” the role that intrigue and innovation, rather than controversy alone, play in depicting the life of a leader.

Unlike earlier Stone films “JFK” and “Nixon,” “W.” fails to provoke debate or shed new light on an already over-exposed political figure. Instead, Stone settles for a hastily-constructed biopic of George W. Bush that unskillfully combines a sometimes comedic tone with serious subject matter. “W.” is neither provocative nor riveting; it’s simply dull and conventional.

Sure, the film explores the tension between Bush Junior and his “Poppy,” former President George H. W. Bush (James Cromwell). It examines Junior’s inferiority complex within his historic family and his fight to achieve credibility in the eyes of his parents. While the movie does not resolve these issues—to do so would be impossible—the real problem is its lack of substantial commentary on Bush’s daddy issues.

This is the failure that lies at the heart of “W.” No matter how deeply Stone delves into Junior’s psychology, the unavoidable fact remains that Stone has neither anything new to say nor a novel way to say it. A gripping presidential biopic needs insight and nuanced, thorough storytelling, but Stone’s decision to rush the movie to release before the election—it was shot in a mere 46 days—certainly shows.

The film is structured as a jumbled, perplexing series of episodes that fail to come together in a cohesive, satisfying picture. Bouncing between flashbacks of Junior’s youth and his first term as president, “W.” has no method to its madness. Rather than illuminating the modern-day scenes, the flashbacks only slow the movie by repeatedly depicting Bush as a misguided youth and, later, a born-again cowboy-politician.

The present-day episodes feel more like a made-for-TV movie than a biting satire or introspective portrait. And the gratuitous inclusion of the time Bush choked on a pretzel? We get it, Mr. Stone: Bush is a goofy guy, lacking the gravitas one normally expects of a president. As Bush himself would say, “Mission accomplished.” Now can you tell us something we didn’t know?

Between the pretzel incident and more serious scenes about war and family drama, Stone strikes a jarring tone that mixes comedy and solemnity. Even when these two elements are put together ironically, as when the administration’s news appearances are juxtaposed with the song “What a Wonderful World,” the result is a cliché that’s been used before to greater effect. The jokes themselves are mostly cheap-shots that pander to a liberal audience—at one point, Vice President Cheney (Richard Dreyfuss) snaps at Karl Rove (Toby Jones), “I’m really confused as to what you’re doing in this room.” [SEE CORRECTION BELOW]

The only thing elevating this otherwise banal movie is Josh Brolin’s performance. He truly inhabits Bush, a feat made even more impressive by the fact that he successfully depicts him over a span of 40 years. Playing the current president is undoubtedly intimidating, but Brolin makes a complex character out of a seemingly less-than-complicated man. Unfortunately, the rest of the cast falls into caricature. In particular, Thandie Newton’s Condoleezza Rice seems like an amateur “Saturday Night Live” impersonation.

In the 2006 film “The Queen,” which depicted the royal family in the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death, director Stephen Frears proved that a movie could successfully depict current political leaders in an intimate way. Whereas “The Queen” boasted a fresh take on the dynamics of the royal family, “W.” is an uninspired and muddled one-man show. It’s neither terrible nor particularly good. Stone may want the audience to wonder why and how this man is President, but he never puts his own distinctive mark on the question.

Why, then, should anyone pay 10 dollars to see a pedestrian rehashing of what has been abundantly evident since Bush took office almost eight years ago? “W.” provides no compelling answer. Save the money and watch the real news instead. Anything going on in the current presidential election is vastly more gripping than “W.,” and unlike the movie, the end result will prove anything but conventional.

CORRECTION

The Oct. 24 Arts review, "W.," misattributed a quotation to the character of Vice President Cheney, played by Richard Dreyfuss. In fact, the quote was from the character of Colin Powell, played by Jeffrey Wright.