All the Way

There are a lot of complimentary things one could say about HBO's "All The Way": great acting, historical ambiance, and cohesion of narrative. What really makes this a truly great film, however, is how its themes are just as relevant and striking here and now as they were in the 1960s.

For a basic plot summary, "All The Way" tells the story of President Lyndon B. Johnson's (Bryan Cranston) first year in office. The primary focus is on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the type of political and social upheaval/compromises that here undertaken to make it a reality. Key personal/political figures of the early Johnson Administration also feature heavily, such as Martin Luther King Jr. (Anthony Mackie), Lady Bird (Melissa Leo), Senator Richard Russell (Frank Langella), Senator Hubert Humphrey (Bradley Whitford), & J. Edgar Hoover (Stephen Root).

It is amazing (and equal parts inspiring and sad) to watch "All The Way" and understand how the Civil Rights Act was neither the beginning nor the end of race issues in this country. In this current era of Black Lives Matter and other racial-based demonstrations fighting for justice, the struggles of Dr. King, the NAACP, the American government, and the populace at large are driven home even further (as they are so much on the forefront of politics and society right now).

Acting-wise, the performances are solid all-around, with Cranston especially shining (when does he ever not?!) as LBJ (from what I have read/seen, an uncanny resemblance in terms of mannerisms). Cranston first inhabited this role on Broadway in 2014, so it makes sense that he is the most comfortable here.

Thus, with the combination of tremendous acting and incredibly relevant themes, I consider "All The Way" to be a biopic of the highest order (my only slight complaint would be it perhaps could have been trimmed by 15 minutes or so). I'm a big fan of the biopic genre, as I feel like it has so much power (along with a high degree of responsibility, obviously) to bring the past alive and more relate-able than a textbook or tome ever could. "All The Way" succeeds wildly in this regard.

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.

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 the Way

An impressive cast, centered around the LBJ actor Bryan Cranston, keeps the historical facts alive and relevant.

We often forget Johnson the president between Kennedy and Nixon. He was the most responsible for Vietnam, but also for a huge range of social programs that really make him the ultimate big government guy since Roosevelt. But important programs like Medicare and social legislation like the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Act. Seeing him struggle to make it happen is a kind of poker game, and he does it with famously Johnson candor and humor.

There's no getting around the fact that these are facts. There are no dramatic surprises here (so it's like seeing a movie the second time). But it's a good movie—one that you can see a second time and get a lot from it. There are weak points (some miscast figures like, unfortunately, Martin Luther King Jr. who is played by Anthony Mackie), but overall the drama of the events is kept intense and pertinent.

And Cranston is sublime. If you know him from "Breaking Bad" you will surprised by his depth here. See him, at least. And Johnson, too.

This portrayal of the 1963/1964 Johnson presidency is not only excellent but BRILLIANT. The acting was flawless about an era I knew well. The acting was so good I forgot about who was portraying whom. Bryan Cranston cannot be lauded enough.

Our nation is on the precipice of returning to those noxious racist-filled days as we are poised to elect a wingnut demagogue to office supported by many racist whites even of the KKK and white nationalist supremacist variety. Have we learned NOTHING from our tragic racist past? Is Vietnam but a memory and the race relations of Jim Crow tucked away neatly in the crevices of our national mind? I surely hope not but suspect they are.

Each and every American would do well to see this film and relive the 1964 shame-filled era of our nation and the legacy of its Civil War. Ultimately the war, though Union won, is still being fought and not only in the battlefield of the south but in the fields of the entire nation.