George W. Bush. That name either makes you sick or makes you worship. After dealing with this guy for 8 years I came to realize that while he wouldn't be a bad guy to hang out with, he wasn't smart enough to rule the country. The movie W addressed this problem with Bush. The most important scene in which Bush was humanized was during the frat house initiation where he gave all the men in the room nicknames. This simple act makes Bush look like a real likable dude. Almost everyone likes having a nickname. A nickname shows that you are remembered, typically fondly, by the person who gave it to you. The W in this scene is a guy I think I would have fun with.The scene in which I feel draws the clearest picture of why W was a failed president is where he is leading his advisers out of his ranch while they are discussing the logistics of an Iraq war. Bush simplifies the geopolitical ramifications of toppling Hussein by stating that any democratic government in Iraq would spread freedom all over the region. This simplistic view of a complicated matter is symbolic of his presidency. If W had actually delved into the nitty gritty of world scale politics he would note the complexity of it. A simple black and white view is one that is set up for failure.
These two scenes highlight why W is both like-able and distasteful at the same time. This movie balanced the why you hate Bush with the why you should like Bush at almost a 50/50 ratio.
Yes, there is certainly a very divided reaction. Bush did not actually give the nicknames; he remembered everyone's nick name that is why the frat boys loved him.
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