Der lange Weg

November, 1963. President John F Kennedy has just been assassinated and Vice President Lyndon Johnson (played by Bryan Cranston) is now President. One of his first acts as President is to reaffirm the US government's intention to pass the Civil Rights Act. This Act was drafted while JFK was in office and gives people of all races the same rights, including voting rights, access to education and access to public facilities. However, he faces strong opposition to the bill, especially from within his own party. He will have to use all his political will and cunning to get it through.

Incredibly engaging drama, showing the passage of a major and historic piece of legislation in US history. Quite an eye-opener: hard to believe that in 1963/4 there was such a huge North-South divide and that racism was so rampant. Also amazing to see that some of the strongest opposition to integration was from Democrats - the left-wing/right-wing lines were clearly quite blurred in those days.

Fascinating insight into the personality of LBJ. On the surface he seems like a man wanting to what is right for his fellow man. However, his motives are not always that altruistic, and his actions are often more driven by personal power than good intentions (which would be common to almost all politicians, I guess, so not such a huge surprise). Highly complex, we see what drives him, especially how his childhood experiences shape his motivations and thinking.

Quite balanced too. We see LBJ, warts and all: his temper, his treatment of staff and wife, his colourful language, what he'll do to win. He's hardly a saint.

Superb performance by Bryan Cranston in the lead role. He inhabits the character of LBJ.

A story that needed to be told.

Bryan Cranston's performance as US President LBJ, is simply stunning. If you thought, as I did, Cranston was brilliant in the recent movie Trumbo, wait till you see this movie. Whilst LBJ himself might not have been the most exciting of US Presidents, he did have a profound depth of eccentricity, southern character, a plethora of foibles, and was a master manipulator. Cranston delivers LBJ with possibly even more depth than the man himself had. Every movement, every look, every gesture and every single word Cranston offers, is a joy to behold. The performance is so natural,and so subtly done even at a microscopic level, the viewer has no choice but to believe it is not Cranston at all, but is LBJ himself. This actor has taken his craft to an even greater level, in what was already a magnificent career. The standards are very high in this movie and all of the cast and team deserve the accolades that will no doubt be given. Many congratulations Mr. Cranston.

all seems be a splendid embroidery. the atmosphere, LBJ proposed by Bryan Cranston, Melissa Leo as lady Bird Johnson, Frank Langella in the generous role of senator Russell, Anthony Mackie in the skin, far to be comfortable, of dr. Martin Luther King. the events are known but that is the virtue of film - to recreate the roots of essential decisions, to show debates and errors, to give the map of a struggle who change America. a film who becomes documentary in many scenes. and one of the most inspired portraits of an U.S. president. a film who presents the way of an year. and a man across a storm. and that does All the way more than a good work. but an useful support for reflection. about politics and about courage. about contemporary elections and about isles from old manner to understand the things. and, sure, about the admirable performance of Bryan Cranston.

I can say without doubt that Cranston is as close to the real thing as I have seen. Close, but not complete. I grew up in Dallas during the assassination and remember Johnson very well from that time. This movie shows a lot more about the man then ever was shown during his presidency. Johnson was not known for his popularity and was not an icon like Kennedy. But I believe he did more for the nation than most Presidents before and after. One thing he was and that was a true Texan and touted that persona throughout his life. And as one Texan to another Johnson always showed his colors even though the rest of the nation did not understand it. I give him that. As for the only critique of Cranston I would say look at the real Johnson on past videos and then Cranston. Johnson was a little more quiet and subdued in front of cameras and the public eye. It was his back room political demeanor that made this man who he really was.

While Lyndon Johnson's presidency was marred by his disastrous Vietnam policy, he was one of our most significant and important presidents in terms of social justice, passing laws that fought racism and pushed against poverty.

In All the Way's eagerness to show the good of Johnson, it sometimes pushes a little too far. Johnson is portrayed here as a sort of crude angel. Sure, he holds meetings from the toilet, but he single-handedly pushes through a civil rights bill!

I don't know much about the history of the civil rights bill, but I do know that politics is a vast, messy business that involves a lot of people and that even the noblest of politicians are still consumed with deal making and positioning and power. For me, this makes the LBJ portrayed in the movie a too simplistic. I am more interested with flawed humans whose angels sometimes beat down their demons to earthly saints.

In spite of my objections, though, this is a very entertaining, involving movie. Its main selling point is Bryan Cranston's amazing portrayal of LBJ. Cranston's LBJ is shrewd, calculating, noble, and briefly angsty. Cranston creates as much complexity as is possible within a role written with a lack of nuance.

The other performances are also quite solid, particularly Melissa Leo as the sweet but steel-spined Ladybird and Frank Langella as LBJ's mentor and occasional foe. Anthony Mackie plays a thoughtful MLK, but there is a slightness, both physical and oratorical, that is disappointing.

While I would have liked more complexity, this is a very entertaining movie that is well worth watching.