Click to read the article
Bush's Brain (2004)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
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
Get This Movie
Reviews for Bush's Brain
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.
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.
It succeeds in generating discussion, but leaves you with a distasteful feeling. If you ignore the content and look merely at the quality of the film, it's lacking in focus.
If this is all Rove’s enemies could muster, he’s got nothing to fear.
Disorganized, overly reliant on reporter commentary and full of extraneous side trips.
Another week, another film to add to an already sizeable pile of anti-Bush polemics.
It's a competent examination of an important subject, but in a year that has been filled with stunning political documentaries with high production values, it suffers from an overreliance on talking heads.
Offers little proof, beyond the circumstantial, to convince anyone outside the hallelujah chorus of its accusations.
The movie feels like a rush job and at times its tactics are as suspect as those attributed to its subject.
The film poses an interesting question ... but few of the Texas witnesses to Rove's reign and Beltway insiders interviewed here offer much of an answer.
I'm not sure that depicting Rove as a demonic Wizard of Oz does much more than stir righteous indignation among the already indignant.
Lacking the narrative thrust and cinematic power of Fahrenheit 9/11, it will not dent President George W. Bush's executive armor as deeply as the Michael Moore documentary did.
A modest documentary that is little more than filmed journalism and pales in comparison with more ambitious recent non-fiction films such as Fahrenheit 9/11 and The Corporation.
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 66% 66% | Public Enemies |
| 83% 83% | Harry Potter and the H… |
| 44% 44% | Night at the Museum: B… |
| 75% 75% | Julie & Julia |
| 32% 32% | Terminator Salvation |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 90% 90% | District 9 |
| 86% 86% | 500 Days of Summer |
| 63% 63% | Extract |
| 06% 06% | All About Steve |
| 78% 78% | It Might Get Loud |
RT On Current TV
DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
CloseSponsored Links
Around The Network
- Bush's Brain at Rotten Tomatoes
- Bush's Brain at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Take a look at MSN's choices for the Top 10 films of 2009.

What were your favorites? Least favorites? The funniest and scariest? Moviefone wants to know!

Hollywood.com explores why QT's characters resonate so well with audiences.

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!
Promos

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!



Top Critic



