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Death of a President
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Metascore
49 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critics What's this?

User Score
6.2 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

Your Score
10 out of 10
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  • Starring: Becky Ann Baker, Hend Ayoub
  • Summary: Death of a President follows the investigation of the fictional assassination of President George W. Bush in October 2007. Combining real archival footage with a credible but fictional story, this film presents a fascinating and thought-provoking political thriller. (Newmarket Films)

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 30
  3. Negative: 4 out of 30
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    83
    The movie IS a provocation, but not a glib or ideologically myopic one.
  2. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: Kirk Honeycutt
    50
    As convincing as the manipulated footage of the President's death in Chicago in October 2007 is, the movie itself cannot be more unconvincing in its approach.
  3. Rolling Stone
    Reviewed by: Peter Travers
    38
    Shopworn propaganda.

See all 30 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 9
  3. Negative: 2 out of 9
  1. Michael
    9
    A fine film that's only slightly about a Bush assassination. It's more about the nation he (and we) made. The crime's aftermath turns into a rather profound cross between "Rashomon" and 1940s film noir. It ultimately suggests that almost anyone might have had some motive, and might have shared some of the culpability.… Expand
    • 1 of 1 users said yes
  2. ChadS.
    4
    Rather than emulate(to a certain degree) Errol Morris' "The Thin Blue Line", this filmmaker misses a golden opportunity to turn "Death of a President" into a full-blown propaganda film. Imagine if a Warren Commission-like report expressed on film were to broadcast on American airwaves in order to frame some innocent foreigner for the murder of President George Walker Bush. This mock-doc's agenda should've been to protect the killer(s) and hide the truth, instead we're subjected to a rambling(and boring) testimony of the case's history(there are too many suspects; too many dead ends) before an Iraqi male is brought to justice and charged with Bush's assasination. Because of his ethnicity, a canny filmmaker would try to frame him, but "Death of a President['s]" liberal heart bleeds too much on its sleeve and strives for exoneration, as a way to comment on racial profiling and the legalized tyranny of the Patriot Act. "Death of a President" doesn't do enough with its most valuable resource: Vice-President Dick Cheney. If the film insinuated that he took out a sitting president, now you're talking provocation.… Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. GerrickC.
    3
    The film is a resounding bore with very few redeeming qualities. Quite honestly, UK film producers coming up with a fictional assassination of the United States President is idiotic. Please do not see this film.… Expand
    • 0 of 1 users said yes

See all 9 User Reviews

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