RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / On DVD / Bush's Brain
Bush's Brain

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Get this Movie
  • Buy Poster External Icon
  • Visit Official Site External Icon
  • Bookmark and Share

Bush's Brain (2004)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
63 %
Tomatometer

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted: 48

Fresh: 30

Rotten:18

Average Rating: 6.2/10

Consensus: Most of the evidence is more circumstantial than conclusive, but it's still a disturbing portrait of misuse of political power.

Rated: Not Rated

Runtime: 80 mins

Genre: Musical & Performing Arts

Theatrical Release:Aug 27, 2004 Limited

Synopsis: Not to be mistaken for an exploration of the 43rd US President's gray matter, BUSH'S BRAIN takes a look at the shadowy figure of the man behind George. W. Bush's rise to the Oval Office. Karl Rove... Not to be mistaken for an exploration of the 43rd US President's gray matter, BUSH'S BRAIN takes a look at the shadowy figure of the man behind George. W. Bush's rise to the Oval Office. Karl Rove may be an unfamiliar name to many, but to the Bush family he is an invaluable political ally who has worked in a carefully disguised capacity for many years. Rove ghosted his way through Bush Sr.'s presidency with such silent ease that a mention of his name would have been met with indifferent shrugs and feverish head scratching. His attempt to pull off the same trick twice when Bush Jr. was elected almost came to fruition, until the publication of James Moore and Wayne Slater's startling exposé of Rove in their 2003 book, also titled BUSH'S BRAIN. Filmmakers Michael Shoob and Joseph Mealey quickly picked up the baton from Moore and Slater, producing this damning filmic indictment of Rove and the Bush presidency. From political cover-ups, to an uncanny ability to manipulate facts and figures, the directors leave no stone unturned as they dig up the dirt on the little-known political aide. A scary, thoughtful film, BUSH'S BRAIN paints a worrying picture of Bush Jr.'s presidency, positing the believable theory that all has not been as it seems behind the walls of the White House. [More]

Starring: George W. Bush, Karl Rove

Starring: George W. Bush, Karl Rove

Director: Joseph Mealey, Michael Paradies Shoob

Director: Joseph Mealey, Michael Paradies Shoob
Producer: Joseph Mealey, Michael Paradies Shoob

[See More Credits]

Get This Movie

Rent DVD
 
 

Click on the "ADD" button to put this movie into your Netflix queue.

 
 
Buy DVD
 
 
Release:

Oct 12, 2004

No Details Exist
 
 

Reviews for Bush's Brain

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
  • DVD
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

No review available.

comment Comment
01/30/09
Cole Smithey
ColeSmithey.com

Though fairly pedestrian by cinematic standards, Joseph Mealey's Bush's Brain is a workmanlike portrayal of the astonishing influence Karl Rove holds in Republican politics.

Full Review Source: Film and Felt | comment Comment
09/07/08
Gabe Leibowitz
Film and Felt

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat

A hard-hitting scary propaganda film about Karl Rove.

Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews | comment Comment
11/02/04
Dennis Schwartz
Ozus' World Movie Reviews

The accusatory tone becomes overbearing.

Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune | comment Comment
10/29/04
Sean Means
Salt Lake Tribune

An entertaining, if not entirely convincing story about Karl Rove, President Bush's campaign manager, and allegations of dirty tricks.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
10/24/04
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

The movie has no smoking guns, but its circumstantial evidence is quite damning and it traces Rove's political hardball back to Texas state politics.

Full Review Source: Boston Herald | comment Comment
10/06/04
Paul Sherman
Boston Herald

The accusations are alarming and juicy enough to strike up a watchable combo of fear and gall.

Full Review Source: Boston Globe | comment Comment
10/01/04
Wesley Morris
Boston Globe
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Seu formato poderia ser mais elegante, mas sua mensagem é forte e inequívoca: a baixa campanha contra John Kerry não é um acaso, é um padrão para Karl Rove.

comment Comment
10/01/04
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

Directors Joseph Mealey and Michael Paradies Shoob make a persuasive though not incontestable case that Rove directly sabotaged the 1986 Texas governor's race.

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
09/24/04
Tom Keogh
Seattle Times

It's safe to say that outrage over Rove's behavior will depend on party affiliation, but even the most partisan should find extreme behaviors sickening.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
09/23/04
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Disorganized, overly reliant on reporter commentary and full of extraneous side trips.

Full Review Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press | comment Comment
09/23/04
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul)
St. Paul Pioneer Press

This unapologetically partisan documentary is designed to inflame Bush opponents, and it ought to succeed like a bucket of gasoline tossed on a bonfire.

Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
09/23/04
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Enlightening and frightening.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Chronicle | comment Comment
09/17/04
Jonathan Curiel
San Francisco Chronicle
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Littered with sloppy accusations and one-sided arguments, Bush's Brain, like so many political documentaries of late, is transparently manipulative.

Full Review Source: Chicago Tribune | comment Comment
09/16/04
Allison Benedikt
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

They succeed in presenting a compelling series of dots, to use the current parlance, but they don't succeed in connecting them.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
09/10/04
Ann Hornaday
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Downright chilling.

Full Review Source: Washington Post | comment Comment
09/10/04
Michael O'Sullivan
Washington Post
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

This no-frills documentary has a very specific theme: Karl Rove drives Bush. And He's willing to break rules and people in order to keep Bush in power.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Report Card | comment Comment
09/08/04
Ross Anthony
Hollywood Report Card

Like Brothers in Arms, the shamelessly softball Kerry doc, Bush’s Brain smacks of opportunism, rescued at the last minute from direct-to-video fate.

Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
09/07/04
Annlee Ellingson
FilmStew.com

An engrossing, disturbing portrait of the perversion of our political process -- a victim of our collective disdain and disinterest that we let it get dragged down this far.

Full Review Source: Entertainment Today | comment Comment
09/07/04
Brent Simon
Entertainment Today
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 >> >|
See More Topics...

Related Forums for Bush's Brain

Click here to be the first to post a message on this forum.

See All

More DVDs

Close
Top Rentals
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
—
The Code
23%
23%
Confessions of a Shopa…
39%
39%
Inkheart
80%
80%
Gran Torino
28%
28%
Tyler Perry's Madea Go…

More Rentals…

New On DVD This Week
Tomatometer Percentage Movie
84%
84%
Two Lovers
04%
04%
Street Fighter: The Le…
27%
27%
12 Rounds
23%
23%
Jonas Brothers - The C…

More New Releases…

RT On Current TV

What’s Hot On RT

Exclusive Concept Art

Exclusive Concept Art

Images from Blood: The Last Vampire and more

50 States, 50 Movies

50 States, 50 Movies

This July 4th, take a cinematic road trip!

Johnny Depp's Best Movies

Johnny Depp's Best...

The finest work from Public Enemies' star.

Fred Durst's Faves

Fred Durst's Faves

The singer/director talks movies and more.

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • Brandon Routh Talks Superman's Future Source: Moviehole
52
  • Sony's Amy Pascal Explains Moneyball Balk Source: Los Angeles Times
6
  • Three Theaters Getting Harry Potter in IMAX Opening Day Source: Collider.com
18
  • Weekly Ketchup: Adam Sandler joins The Zookeeper, David Fincher joins Facebook
72
  • Zak Penn Talks The Avengers Source: Sci Fi Wire
20
  • Watchmen Director's Cut Headed to Theaters Source: Collider.com
32
  • Lorenzo di Bonaventura Talks G.I. Joe, Beverly Hills Cop 4, More Source: Collider.com
14
  • (Teaser) Trailer Bulletin: The Last Airbender Source: MTV
61
  • Johnny Depp Talks Alice, Pirates 4, Dark Shadows Source: Collider.com
12
  • New Alice in Wonderland Concept Art, Stills Posted Source: USA Today
26
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Transformers 2 Generates Explosive Box Office
168
  • Critics Consensus: Solid Public Enemies Doesn't Quite Bring The Noise
104
  • Five Favorite Films with Fred Durst
86
  • RoboGeisha: 2009's Most Insane Trailer?
73
  • Total Recall: Johnny Depp's Best Movies
70
  • RT on DVD: Street Fighter, Transmorphers 2, and Uwe Boll's Tunnel Rats!
36
  • Academy Invites Tyler Perry, Michael Cera, Seth Rogen to Join Oscar Ranks
28
  • Karl Malden: 1912-2009
17
  • Box Office Guru Preview: Dinosaurs and Gangsters Spark Fireworks
17
  • Edinburgh 2009: RT's 10 Must-See Movies
9
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • RT Interview: Director Carlos Cuaron on Rudo and Cursi
0
  • RT Interview: Tony Scott on The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
10
  • Cannes 2009: RT Interview - Sally Hawkins on We Want Sex
2
  • RT Interview: Tilda Swinton on Julia
5
  • Hollywood Legend Debbie Reynolds Reflects On her Life in Showbiz
10
  • Exclusive: McG Talks Terminator Salvation
24
  • Georgia Groome - Fresh Talent on RT
5
  • RT Interview: Reading The Reader with Stephen Daldry
11
  • RT Interview: Oscar Nominee Melissa Leo
7
  • Carey Mulligan - Fresh Talent on RT
7
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Bush's Brain at Rotten Tomatoes
  • Bush's Brain at AskMen

Fresh Links

Featured
Appreciating Michael Jackson
Appreciating Michael Jackson External Link

TIME music critic Josh Tyrangiel remembers - and appreciates - the high peak of Michael Jackson's career in the early '80s.

10 Best Picture Noms?
10 Best Picture Noms? External Link

With the Best Picture Oscar noms now 10 deep, BuzzSugar looks at 10 films that should have made the cut.

Successful Sci-Fi Sequels
Successful Sci-Fi Sequels External Link

Sequels never used to be as good as the original, but now they can be even better. Can Transformers 2 follow suit?

Films That Time Forgot
Films That Time Forgot External Link

The AV Club's Zack Handlen explores why Snowbeast has been dismissed and forgotten.

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo

IGN.com | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Planets | Vaults | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | Direct2Drive | Green Pixels


By continuing past this page, and by the continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. About IGN | Support | Advertise | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! IGN RSS Feeds
IGN's enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.