Lee Eisenberg
In the past five years, Lyndon Johnson has gotten portrayed in movies a lot. He got played by Liev Schreiber in "The Butler", Tom Wilkinson in "Selma", Bryan Cranston in "All the Way", and now Woody Harrelson in "LBJ".*Rob Reiner's movie focuses on a few of the same things that "All the Way" did (namely Johnson's efforts to pass the Civil Rights Act in the wake of the Kennedy assassination), but focuses more on his few months before becoming vice president, and a bit on his days as veep, particularly his dislike of Bobby Kennedy. Nothing especially profound, but it makes clear that this was one brusque individual who made no pretense about who he was. In fact, there's a scene where he's conversing with Richard Russell and they casually talk about non-white people, even as the black maid serves them.It could've been a better movie, but I like how it let us see Johnson the man. It was a sad irony that right after Johnson had signed the Civil Rights Act, he escalated the Vietnam War.Also starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Richard Jenkins (Nate Sr on "Six Feet Under"), Bill Pullman, and C. Thomas Howell.*The only other person who's been this popular in cinema in the past few years is Winston Churchill. He got played by Brendan Gleeson in "Into the Storm", Timothy Spall in "The King's Speech", John Lithgow on "The Crown", Brian Cox in "Churchill" and Gary Oldman in "Darkest Hour".
dv-816-793083
The investigation of a crime always begets the question "who benefits?" The murder of JFK is no exception.While this could be an interesting fictional story of a new president after the assasination of his former boss, it is meant to portray LBJ and it does so in a very positive light.Nothing is said about his real personality and professional life. The movie is simply a fairy tale about a man who was the chief beneficiary of a heinous crime.Read Roger Stone's "The Man who Killed Kennedy" for a highly documented true story of LBJ.As a fictional movie it is entertaining, perhaps even gripping but the utter lack of historical facts about LBJs life puts this movie in the category of propoganda.I'll give it three stars for being entertaining.
Gordon-11
This film tells the story of a long serving politician who is made the vice president. He becomes the president due to unfortunate circumstances.I think Woody Harrelson is great in this film as LBJ. The story is adequately engaging, and the ending speech is very captivating.
aleenator
Very watchable. No real surprises. I'm not sure how accurate the portrayal is but Woody Harrelson is very good and holds the viewer throughout the entire movie. I don't think it will ever be the most revered politic drama ever but not a bad way to kill a couple of hours.
AD
