Full disclosure, I turned 9 on the day of the 2000 election so a good part of the Bush presidency I didn't really understand what was going on or the impact that the decisions that were being made had on the world. A person who lived through this era and was more aware of the decisions being made may have a different and understandable viewpoint of the movie.
First about the movie, it actually made me respect Dick and Lynn Cheney more than I thought I would have. I went into the movie expecting it would paint Dick as this horrible person who helped to plunge the world into chaos over profits during his time as Bush's VP, well it does that, but it starts with Dick and Lynn early marriage. Dick has been kicked out of Yale and Lynn thinking about kicking him out of the house if he does not shape up. Well he gets into an internship program with congress and starts working his way up the republican ladder.
At every moment when the Dick or Lynn senses that there is an opportunity to move forward and claim more power they grab it. Both I thought are ultimately portrayed as smart individuals who team up together to advance their own lust for power. Lynn, is the driving force behind Dick and Amy Adams, did a great job conveying her as a strong women who knows what she wants, understands the rules of the game she is playing and will push forward to achieve those goals. You may not like the politics of the family but if you do not leave impressed with how Dick was able to turn a nothing position into the most powerful person in government for 8 years than you entered this movie with a bias, and with the slant of the movie probably liked the rest.
The movie does present the former vice president as the master mind behind the Iraq war and the person who made all the major decisions in the Bush white house. Bush comes across as someone who is happy to have Cheney make all the decisions and really seems to be over his head. This may be a bit unfair to the president but vice president Cheney did do more as VP than probably all the prior VPs combined.
Now the acting was superb across the board. Bale should a great range and charisma in his acting as he came across as the dominate force of will that would not be stopped as well as demonstrating humor and love for his daughters that made Dick feel like a real human. Amy Adams, as mentioned above, turned in a fantastic performance as she made clear that Lynn was the reason behind Dick success and that they were a true team, and she was probably the captain of the team. Steve Carroll showed off great comedic timing while still giving great depth to his character as well. At times form the previews it seemed that this movie could become a comedic hit piece on the Bush presidency but while there are comedic parts it does a good job of showing that these people were real people with flaws who made mistakes but also had fears and truly ambition was the driving force in them.
In our current political climate it is hard to do a political movie that every one will love or not hate. The side you are critical of will be disgusted and claim you are to far on the other side while the other may find that you were not critical enough.I felt the movie did a good job in criticism the consolidation of power in the hands of the president while also showing that Cheney was person who had positive aspects.
One of the best parts of the movie was when Dick finds out that his daughter Mary is gay. He is polling to determine if he should run for president and decides that he can't put his daughter through that and does not run. When Bush asked him to be VP, before he accepts he says he will not campaign on marriage rights.Yes, this is done to contrast with the way his other daughter runs her campaign latter but it presents the idea that Dick had certain morals that anyone would consider good and touching on this helped to make him a more rounded character and the movie is better for it.
Overall I give it 4 stars, it was good, had some funny parts. It was critical of many aspects of the Bush Presidency and conservative America which many people will not like and if you are a heavy conservative you probably will not like this movie. If you try to watch the movie with politic blinders on you will enjoy it more as you see it as a flawed human being moving up the ladder of life reaching for more and more power who happens to make some mistakes.
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