Stars: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Woody Harrelson, Bill Pullman
Storyline
LBJ centers on the political upheaval that Vice President Johnson faced when he was thrust into the presidency at the hands of an assassin's bullet in November 1963. With political battles on both sides of the aisle, Johnson struggles to heal a nation and secure his presidency by passing Kennedy's historic Civil Rights Act.
Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh -
Lady Bird Johnson
Woody Harrelson -
Lyndon B. Johnson
Bill Pullman -
Ralph Yarborough
C. Thomas Howell -
Walter Jenkins
Jeffrey Donovan -
John F. Kennedy
Michael Mosley -
Kenny O'Donnell
Michael Stahl-David -
Robert F. Kennedy
Richard Jenkins -
Senator Russell
Rich Sommer -
Pierre Salinger
Travis Wester -
Malcom Kilduff
Wallace Langham -
Arthur Schlesinger
Judd Lormand -
Robert McNamara
Gary Grubbs -
Everett Dirksen
Joe Chrest -
McGeorge Bundy
Brian Stepanek -
Rufus Youngblood
Filming Locations: Dealey Plaza - 500 Main Street, Dallas, Texas, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $37,000,000
(estimated)
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Did You Know?
Trivia:
One of two features films about former American Democrat President Lyndon Johnson which were made and first released in the year of 2016. The films are LBJ (2016) and All the Way (2016). See more »
User Review
Author:
Rating: 6/10
Few things are as comfortable as a Rob Reiner film. The director who is
still commonly referred to lovingly as Meathead by fans of the iconic
All in the Family television series has been directing films since the
early 80's and his films are consistently entertaining inoffensive fair
marketed to mass audiences. The Princess Bride, A Few Good Men, The
American President and The Bucket List are just a sampling of the
director's filmography that audiences will be familiar.
Those that watch Rob Reiner on the talk show circuit would know that
the outside of being an actor and director, he is very political
activist who uses his celebrity status to bring attention to equal
rights and to social issues such as violence and tobacco use.
So it is a bit of surprise that Rob Reiner has never made a film that
might leverage his strong activist lifestyle. Until now, that is.
LBJ is Rob Reiner's film about the 36th President of the United States,
Lyndon B. Johnson, who was thrust from the Vice-President's chair to
the Oval Office desk after the assassination of John Fitzgerald Kennedy
on that fateful November day in 1963.
Woody Harrelson plays LBJ and the film takes us backwards and forwards
in time from LBJ's unsuccessful run for the Democratic Party nomination
through JFK's assassination and ultimately through the President's
fight for an Equal Rights Bill.
The heart of the film comes from LBJ's battle within his own party.
Robert Kennedy (Michael Stahl-David) is hardly a fan of the
foul-mouthed Texan who was hand-picked by brother John for the
Vice-President position. The two will battle wills and disagree on
almost all political talking points throughout their tenures. Also
providing resistance to LBJ's forward thinking is Senator Richard
Russell (Richard Jenkins) from the state of Georgia. Russell is
portrayed as a racist that does not believe that individuals of color
deserve the same rights and freedoms as all other Americans. LBJ does
his best to try and win the trust of Russell and LBJ walks the thin
line of keeping Russell in the fold before he abandons his friendship
with the Senator in his attempt to fulfill the inroads JFK had made in
his equal rights efforts prior to his assassination.
Harrelson is barely recognizable as the title character. The make-up is
thick to ensure he resembles the former President. At times, the
make-up is brilliant. The big ears and receding hairline of LBJ is
captured expertly. But at other times – particularly in close-ups – the
make-up looks like Harrelson was an extra in Warren Beatty's Dick Tracy
film.
LBJ is obviously the focus, but there is ample time given to JFK. And
the assassination in Texas is captured with valuable attention to
detail. The assassination is a key point in the life of LBJ and Rob
Reiner takes the time to film it correctly (it was filmed in Texas
exactly where the shooting took place). Jeffrey Donovan (televisions
Burn Notice) plays Kennedy and brings subtle touch to the role not
attempting to overdo the Boston drawl.
As with all other Reiner films, LBJ plays it safe. Audiences may learn
a few things about the complicated man along the way. His foul mouth,
how he would have meetings while sitting on the toilet, and his
insecurity always believing that he was not loved by either his inner
circle or his country (he did win re-election by the widest margin in
American history). To my embarrassment, I didn't know that LBJ was in a
procession car with JFK the day he was killed. But LBJ is no Lincoln.
Where the Spielberg film was brilliantly written and a character study
of both a political family and the process to which they battled, LBJ
skims the surface like a rock skipping along calmer waters. Gritty, LBJ
is not.
But safe entertainment can still be good entertainment and Reiner is
surely a master at that craft. There is plenty of humor in the film to
keep the characters interesting and keeping the story non-linear works
to valued effect. LBJ will not be considered Rob Reiner's best work,
but it is exactly what you can come to expect from the director. And
slipping into a comfortable shoe can be so so comfortable.
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