| George W. Bush | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Documentary |
| Written by | |
| Directed by | Jamila Ephron |
| Narrated by | Corey Stoll[1] |
| Music by | Art Farm West[1] |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producers | |
| Cinematography | Stephen McCarthy[1] |
| Editors |
|
| Production company | Ark Media[1] |
| Original release | |
| Network | PBS |
| Release | May 4, 2020 (2020-05-04) |
George W. Bush is a 2020 two-partbiographical television film about former United States PresidentGeorge W. Bush. Produced byPBS for theAmerican Experience documentary program, it recounts Bush's life from his childhood up to the end of his two-term presidency in 2008. Directed by Jamila Ephron and written by Barak Goodman and Chris Durrance, the film aired on PBS in two parts on May 4 and 5, 2020.
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On July 29, 2019,PBS announced thatAmerican Experience will produce a two-part biographical film about former presidentGeorge W. Bush to be released inspring 2020.[2] The film was then titledW, with Barak Goodman as writer, producer, and director; Goodman previously wrote and directed the2012 film onBill Clinton.[3] By January 2020, Jamila Ephron was revealed to have since become part of the project.
On April 14, 2020, PBS revealed that the film will premiere the next month on May 4 and 5.[4] In regard to the inclusion ofAri Fleischer andAndrew Card, both of whom have been documented to give lies during the Bush administration, Goodman explained that "I think that what this administration, with some exceptions, underwent was a process of self-delusion. Not that they set out to lie to the American people, they lied to themselves", adding that "[t]he fact is, these were the guys who were there."[5]
Brian Lowry ofCNN gaveGeorge W. Bush a negative review, criticizing its omission of some significant details in Bush's life and presidency such as the controversy toward hisNational Guard service andKarl Rove's alleged "smear tactics" during the2000 primary of theRepublican Party, in addition to the film's decision not to cover hispost-presidency. Lowry added that the film is also unsuccessful in adding further insight into Bush's character other than what is already known about him.[6] Scott D. Pierce ofThe Salt Lake Tribune on the other hand assessed the film to be "worth watching" for its direct and fair documentation of Bush's life.[5]