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Bush's Brain (2004)
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Reviews Counted:48
Fresh:30
Rotten:18
Average Rating:6.1/10
Consensus: Most of the evidence is more circumstantial than conclusive, but it's still a disturbing portrait of misuse of political power.
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
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Reviews for Bush's Brain
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.
An entertaining, if not entirely convincing story about Karl Rove, President Bush's campaign manager, and allegations of dirty tricks.
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.
The accusations are alarming and juicy enough to strike up a watchable combo of fear and gall.
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.
Directors Joseph Mealey and Michael Paradies Shoob make a persuasive though not incontestable case that Rove directly sabotaged the 1986 Texas governor's race.
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.
Disorganized, overly reliant on reporter commentary and full of extraneous side trips.
This unapologetically partisan documentary is designed to inflame Bush opponents, and it ought to succeed like a bucket of gasoline tossed on a bonfire.
Littered with sloppy accusations and one-sided arguments, Bush's Brain, like so many political documentaries of late, is transparently manipulative.
They succeed in presenting a compelling series of dots, to use the current parlance, but they don't succeed in connecting them.
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.
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.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
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