X
- 2017
- R
- Electric Entertainment
- 1 h 38 m
- 2017
- R
- Electric Entertainment
- 1 h 38 m
Summary The story of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson from his young days in West Texas to the White House.
Directed By: Rob Reiner
Written By: Joey Hartstone
- 2017
- R
- Electric Entertainment
- 1 h 38 m
- 2017
- R
- Electric Entertainment
- 1 h 38 m
LBJ
54
7.6
Where to Watch
Summary The story of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson from his young days in West Texas to the White House.
Directed By: Rob Reiner
Written By: Joey Hartstone
Where to Watch
Top Cast
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 19 Critic Reviews
54
42% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
58% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Metascore
Mixed or Average
Based on 19 Critic Reviews
54
42% Positive
8 Reviews
8 Reviews
58% Mixed
11 Reviews
11 Reviews
0% Negative
0 Reviews
0 Reviews
Woody Harrelson in the title role has enough spice to keep the viewer alert and attentive. That’s more than I can say about most of the junk that greets the year-end 2017 holiday season.
It’s a well-calibrated performance, with Harrelson convincingly conveying how Lyndon Johnson felt the weight of the world on his shoulders and took on that challenge in mostly admirable ways.
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 User Ratings
7.6
74% Positive
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
16% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
User Score
Generally Favorable
Based on 19 User Ratings
7.6
74% Positive
14 Ratings
14 Ratings
16% Mixed
3 Ratings
3 Ratings
11% Negative
2 Ratings
2 Ratings
Incredible film, but you wouldn't ever know it reading the critics, aka the national critics who seem to always want to slam rare dramatic and intriguing gems as this these days in favor of the endless stream of truly banal Kevin Smith comic sequels to infinity! Get a clue or get lost, you national reviewer studio sycophant members of the one tenth percent---ruining our American culture for us little people who need to be much more attuned to our bright points in history and films as this--instead of the banal fare like Blade Runner 2049 which you always offer up to us on your fake review platter. And, to other critics here making the point that Reiner didn't want to bog his fine film down with the war and all that, that is totally understandable. Those folks can go see or rent the fine doc about McNamara made years ago, since it was mostly McNamara anyway, or Ken Burns has 20 hours on the war that anyone can view on PBS. Woody's line about 'Nam tells it all anyway when he simply says there is no time in this 100 min. treatment. Finally, for those of us, and there are many, who can't afford HBO to have ever even viewed "All the Way"--or who could never have traveled to see Cranston's fine performance on Broadway---thank you very much for your fine oscar worthy film sir! You are one director who has never let us down, as many other directors have, so that deserves some due respect finally--and the cast is superb and superbly cast.
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At a riveting 98 minutes, it was so entertaining, I only wish it could have been longer. Compelling performances all around, particularly from Richard Jenkins as LBJ's friend and adversary, Senator Richard Russell, leader of the Southern conservative coalition that tried to block passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The story really moves along at a good pace, and every minute is entertaining and illuminating. Woody Harrelson probably wouldn't have been my first choice for LBJ if I were the casting director (especially having seen Bryan Cranston's magnificent "All The Way" on HBO, but I must admit he does a good job, even if I was a little distracted by the make-up job. At the end of the movie, I watched the credits to find out who played Lady Bird so perfectly and was surprised to find that it was Jennifer Jason Leigh. Overall, very enjoyable, even if you're not particularly into politics or history. It's just a great story, and director Rob Reiner has really brought it to life.
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I suspect that none of these actors had as much fun bringing to life the cagey and colorful political vulgarian as his fellow Texan, Woody Harrelson, seems to be having in LBJ, crudely and rudely drawling his lines behind a wall of latex makeup, plus-size prosthetic ears and horn-rimmed glasses that obscure his own facial features.
It’s almost sadistic to cast Jenkins, the actor who most resembles Johnson, in a supporting role in LBJ. His scenes with Harrelson suggest a man talking to his own Halloween-mask likeness.
There is something of a Halloween costume about Woody Harrelson’s appearance in the film. He looks as if frozen midway into some morphing process between himself and Lyndon Johnson, a process that, by pure chance, happened to stop at the precise moment he began to look comical.
No wonder the movie feels something like a retread: It gets you there, but the ride is neither nowhere as smooth, nor nearly as compelling.
Rob Reiner’s LBJ is an often pedestrian, sometimes punchy, well-acted biopic that gives the mightily capable Woody Harrelson the reins of the country’s 36th commander in chief.
I really enjoyed this movie! I'm not a big history buff, so a lot of the story was informative to me. But, at the same time, it never felt like a dry history lesson. Very entertaining and fun, while at the same time, it really nailed the emotional and dramatic beats when necessary. Woody Harrelson's transformation and performance were really incredible -- he did a great job with the role. The entire supporting cast, as well, all fully embraced their characters and contributed to the quality of the movie. I highly recommend checking this out if you have any interest in that period of America's story. It's impressive how poignant the issues that LBJ faced at the time are still very relevant today, and the movie does a great job exploring that in an engaging and entertaining way.
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Could they have made LBJ and Lady Bird look any uglier? Part of the problem is casting and the rest makeup. Casting Woody Harrelson as LBJ was a ridiculous idea and the makeup person absolutely flunks. I can't comment on the rest of the movie as this was such a turnoff that I couldn't get further than the first fifteen minutes.
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50% boring, 50% entertaining due to Harrelson. But Reiner, like all of Hollywood is obsessed with race. Why? LBJ movie but no mention of the space program. No mention of Vietnam? Remember Vietnam Mr. Reiner? LBJ was pivotal. You wouldn't know it from this movie. Very missable movie.
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Production Company
Acacia Filmed Entertainment,
Castle Rock Entertainment,
Parkside Pictures,
Savvy Media Holdings,
Star Thrower Entertainment
Release Date Nov 3, 2017
Duration 1 h 38 m
Rating R
Website
http://lbj-movie.jp/
Awards
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA
• 1 Nomination
