''LBJ'' is a 2016 American
political
Politics (from , ) is the set of activities that are associated with making decisions in groups, or other forms of power relations among individuals, such as the distribution of resources or status. The branch of social science that studies ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
about the beginning of the
administration
Administration may refer to:
Management of organizations
* Management, the act of directing people towards accomplishing a goal
** Administrative Assistant, traditionally known as a Secretary, or also known as an administrative officer, admini ...
of
U.S. President
The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
following the
assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It was directed by
Rob Reiner
Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performan ...
and written by Joey Hartstone, whose script was on the 2014
Black List
Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...
. The film stars
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor and playwright. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, in addition to nominations for three Academy Award ...
as the titular President, along with
Richard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor who is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his career in theater at the Tr ...
,
Bill Pullman
William Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting. He made his film debut in ''R ...
,
Kim Allen,
Michael Stahl-David
Michael Stahl-David (born October 28, 1982) is an American actor, known for his role as Sean Donnelly on the NBC drama series ''The Black Donnellys'' and his lead role as Robert "Rob" Hawkins in the J. J. Abrams-produced film ''Cloverfield'' and ...
,
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough as Stacy Hamilton in '' Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). Sh ...
,
Jeffrey Donovan
Jeffrey Donovan (born May 11, 1968) is an American actor. He played Michael Westen in the television series ''Burn Notice'', and appeared in films such as '' Hitch'', '' Believe in Me'', '' Changeling'', and ''Come Early Morning''. He played Ro ...
,
Doug McKeon
Doug McKeon (born June 10, 1966) is an American actor who first achieved notability as a child actor.
Early life and career
McKeon was born on June 10, 1966, in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, and raised in Oakland, New Jersey, where he attended ...
,
C. Thomas Howell
Christopher Thomas Howell (born December 7, 1966) is an American actor. He has starred in the films '' Soul Man'', '' The Hitcher'', '' Grandview U.S.A.'', ''Red Dawn'', ''Secret Admirer'' and '' The Outsiders''. He has also appeared in '' Gett ...
, and
Michael Mosley.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
took place in
,
Baton Rouge,
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, and
Washington D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, Na ...
from September to December 2015. The film premiered at the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
on September 9, 2016. It was theatrically released by
Electric Entertainment
Electric Entertainment, Inc. is an American television and media production company, established in 2001 by veteran writer/producer Dean Devlin and led by Devlin along with partners Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan.
History
Electric Entertainmen ...
and
Vertical Entertainment
Vertical Entertainment is an American film distribution and production company founded by producers Richard B. "Rich" Goldberg and Mitch Budin in 2012.
History
In 2012, Rich Goldberg & Mitch Budin founded Vertical Entertainment, a film distribut ...
on November 3, 2017. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who called it "surface skimming" and criticized Harrelson's makeup, with some comparing the film negatively to the 2016
HBO film about Johnson, ''
All the Way
All the Way may refer to:
Film and television
* ''All the Way'', an Australian film of 1998 directed by Marque Owen
* ''All the Way'' (2001 film), a film directed by Shi Runjiu
* ''All the Way'' (film), a 2016 adaptation of Robert Schenkkan's p ...
''.
The Movie's Plot Summary
The story begins as
Vice President
A vice president, also director in British English, is an officer in government or business who is below the president (chief executive officer) in rank. It can also refer to executive vice presidents, signifying that the vice president is on ...
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
and his wife,
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (''née'' Taylor; December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She previously served as Second Lady from 1961 to 1963 whe ...
, greet
President
President most commonly refers to:
*President (corporate title)
* President (education), a leader of a college or university
* President (government title)
President may also refer to:
Automobiles
* Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
and
First Lady Jackie Kennedy
Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A po ...
on November 22, 1963, in
Dallas, Texas
Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County w ...
. While Kennedy is warmly greeted by the crowd, a clearly-disgruntled Johnson is virtually ignored.
Four years earlier, Johnson was the
Senate Majority Leader
The positions of majority leader and minority leader are held by two United States senators and members of the party leadership of the United States Senate. They serve as the chief spokespersons for their respective political parties holding t ...
, bullying senators into supporting legislation. During one such meeting, Johnson asks fellow Texas Senator
Ralph Yarborough
Ralph Webster Yarborough (June 8, 1903 – January 27, 1996) was an American politician and lawyer. He was a Texas Democratic politician who served in the United States Senate from 1957 to 1971 and was a leader of the progressive wing of his p ...
why he has not endorsed him for the Democratic presidential nomination in the
1960 election, although he has yet to announce. Yarborough instead plans to support Kennedy, who has been running a public campaign on television and through a
series of popular primaries. At the Johnson Ranch in Texas,
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
asks Johnson directly whether he plans to seek the presidency, and Johnson assures him that he doesn't. Sometime later, "Johnson for President" signs start to appear even though he continues to deny publicly that he plans to run, while Kennedy continues to amass support in the primaries. Johnson's advisors suggest he announce publicly to take some of the publicity away from Kennedy, but he instead plans to make his case at the
convention. Privately, Johnson admits that he is also afraid that he can't compete with Kennedy, whose good looks and instant charm have made him loved by the public; a love Johnson himself is scared to find out they would not feel for him. At the convention, as he is whipping votes, Johnson is confronted on his broken promise by Bobby Kennedy, who gets his revenge by correctly analyzing that the tide has turned in their favour. Kennedy wins the nomination on the first ballot.
However, without consulting his brother or advisors like
Kenneth O'Donnell
Kenneth Patrick O'Donnell (March 4, 1924 – September 9, 1977) was an American political consultant and the special assistant and appointments secretary to President John F. Kennedy from 1961 until Kennedy's assassination in November 1963. O'Do ...
, Kennedy asks Johnson to be his running mate. In private, Kennedy says that he can remove Johnson from Congress and make him work for him rather than against him. Johnson himself hopes to turn the vice presidency into a more powerful position. Kennedy and Johnson successfully defeat
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
and
Henry Lodge Jr. in the 1960 election by one of the narrowest margins in history. In his early days as vice president, Johnson tries to increase his power by requesting that all government agencies "cooperate fully with the vice president in the carrying out of these assignments". The president's advisors, contemptuous of Johnson and lined up behind Bobby Kennedy (now the administration's
Attorney General), try to block his influence, but Kennedy himself is wary not to antagonize his vice president, appointing O'Donnell to liaise with him on all issues. He appoints him to run his new
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is a federal agency that was established via the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to administer and enforce civil rights laws against workplace discrimination. The EEOC investigates discrimination ...
, a part of his program to address civil rights legislation. The first meeting of the commission goes badly as the Cabinet secretaries meant to compose it send aides instead. Aware of his precarious situation, Johnson tells his advisors he will push for compromise on civil rights, knowing that the Southern Democrats, led by his friend and mentor Senator
Richard Russell, will oppose any move made by the Kennedys. Although Johnson claims a small victory when he convinces Russell to support equal opportunities in employment in exchange for a manufacturing deal in his native
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
, neither faction can see eye-to-eye as Russell refuses to consider any other compromises on civil rights, and Kennedy backs Bobby's suggestion that they should go "through him" instead. Following this decision, Johnson is further sidelined and his lack of influence is shown when he attempts to convince Kennedy to appoint his friend
Sarah T. Hughes
Sarah Tilghman Hughes (August 2, 1896 – April 23, 1985) was an American lawyer and federal judge who served on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas. She is best known as the judge who swore in Lyndon B. Johnson ...
as a federal judge, a recommendation they barely acknowledge. He eventually deduces that Bobby is trying to make him powerless and irrelevant so that he will not be able to contest Bobby's own ambitions to run for the White House in
1968.
Back in Dallas, Johnson hears a shot as they are driven through the streets in their motorcade. The Secret Service get him to safety in a nearby hospital where they tell him that Kennedy
has been shot. Kennedy is soon declared dead and Johnson is thrust into the presidency. Although the Secret Service wishes to return Johnson to the White House immediately, he refuses to leave Dallas without Jackie Kennedy, who refuses to leave her husband. To enquire about the legalities of succession, Johnson calls Bobby Kennedy who reluctantly tells him that he can take the oath of office whenever he wants. Against Bobby's wish, Johnson takes the oath aboard
Air Force One, with Jackie at his side and Sarah Hughes, the very judge he had once tried to recommend,
swearing him in as president. As he returns to Washington, everyone around him reacts uncertainly, unsure what kind of a president he aims to be. His ascension however delights Russell and his southern Democratic block due to his own southern roots and their belief that he will end the push for civil rights legislation. Johnson asks Kennedy's former advisors to remain, while also giving them the choice to leave if they don't feel like serving him. Debate ensues between them as they are unsure whether they should remain with Johnson, or throw their support behind Bobby as Kennedy's heir. Johnson admits his own doubts to his wife, and that he would have rather lost the presidency on his own merits rather than inherit it in such circumstances.
Johnson eventually decides that the best way to heal the nation and to ensure his presidency works is to present himself firmly not just as Kennedy's successor but also as his heir. Although aware that Russell will block his efforts, he rejects his previous strategy of compromise and, when asked whether he supports civil rights himself, he recounts a story about how challenging it was for his cook to cross the south from his home in Washington to his ranch as an
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
woman. Johnson asks Kennedy speechwriter
Ted Sorensen
Theodore Chaikin Sorensen (May 8, 1928 – October 31, 2010) was an American lawyer, writer, and presidential adviser. He was a speechwriter for President John F. Kennedy, as well as one of his closest advisers. President Kennedy once called hi ...
to write a speech he intends to deliver to a joint session of Congress, while he begins whipping votes for the civil rights bill. The speech was meant to serve as a eulogy for Kennedy and an inaugural address for Johnson himself. Eventually, LBJ delivers his '
Let Us Continue
Let Us Continue was a speech that 36th President of the United States Lyndon B. Johnson delivered to a joint session of Congress on November 27, 1963, five days after the assassination of his predecessor John F. Kennedy. The almost 25-minute spe ...
' speech to Congress, to rousing applause from both chambers, a visibly-emotional Senator Yarborough, a displeased but respectful Russell, and a very reluctant Bobby Kennedy, who must surrender the mantle of his brother's legacy to his rival.
A closing text recounts that on July 2, 1964 Johnson signed into law the
Civil Rights Act of 1964, fulfilling Kennedy's dream. On November 3 of the same year, he defeated Senator
Barry Goldwater in the
presidential election
A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President.
Elections by country
Albania
The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public.
Chile
The pre ...
, winning 44 states and taking 61.1% of the popular vote, the largest margin of victory since 1820. Over his next term, Johnson pushed through the
Great Society
The Great Society was a set of domestic programs in the United States launched by Democratic President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964–65. The term was first coined during a 1964 commencement address by President Lyndon B. Johnson at the Universit ...
legislation, such as the
Voting Rights Act of 1965, and establishing programs such as
Medicare,
Medicaid
Medicaid in the United States is a federal and state program that helps with healthcare costs for some people with limited income and resources. Medicaid also offers benefits not normally covered by Medicare, including nursing home care and per ...
, and
Head Start. However, his escalation of the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (also known by other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vietnam a ...
lead to rising American deaths and intensifying anti-war protests, causing his popularity to plummet by 1968, and causing challenges from within his own party, including from Bobby Kennedy. On March 31, 1968, Johnson declares that he will not seek another presidential term, becoming to date the last sitting president to forgo re-election.
Cast
![Woody Harrelson DIG13955 021](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Woody_Harrelson_DIG13955_021.jpg)
*
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor and playwright. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, in addition to nominations for three Academy Award ...
as
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
*
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jennifer Jason Leigh (born Jennifer Leigh Morrow; February 5, 1962) is an American actress. She began her career on television during the 1970s before making her film breakthrough as Stacy Hamilton in '' Fast Times at Ridgemont High'' (1982). Sh ...
as
Lady Bird Johnson
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson (''née'' Taylor; December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) was First Lady of the United States from 1963 to 1969 as the wife of President Lyndon B. Johnson. She previously served as Second Lady from 1961 to 1963 whe ...
*
Michael Stahl-David
Michael Stahl-David (born October 28, 1982) is an American actor, known for his role as Sean Donnelly on the NBC drama series ''The Black Donnellys'' and his lead role as Robert "Rob" Hawkins in the J. J. Abrams-produced film ''Cloverfield'' and ...
as
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis Kennedy (November 20, 1925June 6, 1968), also known by his initials RFK and by the nickname Bobby, was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 64th United States Attorney General from January 1961 to September 1964, ...
*
Richard Jenkins
Richard Dale Jenkins (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor who is well known for his portrayal of deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series '' Six Feet Under'' (2001–2005). He began his career in theater at the Tr ...
as
Senator Richard Russell
*
Bill Pullman
William Pullman (born December 17, 1953) is an American actor. After graduating with a Master of Fine Arts degree in theater, he was an adjunct professor at Montana State University before deciding to pursue acting. He made his film debut in ''R ...
as
Senator Ralph Yarborough
*
Jeffrey Donovan
Jeffrey Donovan (born May 11, 1968) is an American actor. He played Michael Westen in the television series ''Burn Notice'', and appeared in films such as '' Hitch'', '' Believe in Me'', '' Changeling'', and ''Come Early Morning''. He played Ro ...
as
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination ...
*
Kim Allen as
Jacqueline Kennedy
*
Brent Bailey
Brent Bailey is an American film and television actor, director, producer, and screenwriter born in Tucson, Arizona. Bailey has appeared in television series such as Criminal Minds, Rizzoli & Isles and Hart of Dixie. Bailey also played Alex Kn ...
as
Ted Sorensen
Theodore Chaikin Sorensen (May 8, 1928 – October 31, 2010) was an American lawyer, writer, and presidential adviser. He was a speechwriter for President John F. Kennedy, as well as one of his closest advisers. President Kennedy once called hi ...
* John Burke as
John Connally
John Bowden Connally Jr. (February 27, 1917June 15, 1993) was an American politician. He served as the 39th governor of Texas and as the 61st United States secretary of the Treasury. He began his career as a Democrat and later became a Republic ...
* John Ellison Conlee as
George Reedy
* Oliver Edwin as
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers (born Billy Don Moyers, June 5, 1934) is an American journalist and political commentator. Under the Johnson administration he served from 1965 to 1967 as the eleventh White House Press Secretary. He was a director of the Counci ...
*
Darrel Guilbeau
Darrel Guilbeau is an American voice actor. He began working on voice acting in anime roles, when his friends asked him to audition for '' Overman King Gainer'' and he won the title role, Gainer Sanga. Guilbeau is also known as the voice of Mikado ...
as
Jack Valenti
*
Gary Grubbs
Gary Grubbs (born November 14, 1949) is an American character actor who has appeared in 178 credited shows and films since the 1970s and is still working steadily. He is best known as Captain Steven Wiecek in '' For Love and Honor'' (1983-1984) ...
as
Senator Everett Dirksen
*
C. Thomas Howell
Christopher Thomas Howell (born December 7, 1966) is an American actor. He has starred in the films '' Soul Man'', '' The Hitcher'', '' Grandview U.S.A.'', ''Red Dawn'', ''Secret Admirer'' and '' The Outsiders''. He has also appeared in '' Gett ...
as
Walter Jenkins
Walter Wilson Jenkins (March 23, 1918 – November 23, 1985) was an American political figure and longtime top aide to U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson. Jenkins' career ended after he was arrested and charged with "disorderly conduct" with ano ...
*
Wallace Langham
James Wallace Langham II (born March 11, 1965) is an American actor. He is best known for playing the role of Phil the Head Writer on ''The Larry Sanders Show''. He has also played the roles of David Hodges on the crime drama television series '' ...
as
Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.
Arthur Meier Schlesinger Jr. (; born Arthur Bancroft Schlesinger; October 15, 1917 – February 28, 2007) was an American historian, social critic, and public intellectual. The son of the influential historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Sr. and a s ...
* Kate Butler as Juanita Roberts
*
Doug McKeon
Doug McKeon (born June 10, 1966) is an American actor who first achieved notability as a child actor.
Early life and career
McKeon was born on June 10, 1966, in Pompton Plains, New Jersey, and raised in Oakland, New Jersey, where he attended ...
as
Hubert Humphrey
Hubert Horatio Humphrey Jr. (May 27, 1911 – January 13, 1978) was an American pharmacist and politician who served as the 38th vice president of the United States from 1965 to 1969. He twice served in the United States Senate, representing Mi ...
*
Michael Mosley as
Kenneth O'Donnell
Kenneth Patrick O'Donnell (March 4, 1924 – September 9, 1977) was an American political consultant and the special assistant and appointments secretary to President John F. Kennedy from 1961 until Kennedy's assassination in November 1963. O'Do ...
* Tim Ransom as
Larry O'Brien
Lawrence Francis O'Brien Jr. (July 7, 1917September 28, 1990) was an American politician and basketball commissioner. He was one of the United States Democratic Party's leading electoral strategists for more than two decades. He served as Postm ...
*
Rich Sommer
Rich Sommer (born February 2, 1978) is an American actor, best known for his portrayal of Harry Crane on the AMC drama series ''Mad Men''. He is also known for his roles in the comedy-drama films '' The Devil Wears Prada'' (2006), ''Celeste and ...
as
Pierre Salinger
Pierre Emil George Salinger (June 14, 1925 – October 16, 2004) was an American journalist, author and politician. He served as the ninth press secretary for United States Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Salinger served ...
*
Brian Stepanek
Brian Patrick Stepanek (born February 6, 1971) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Arwin Hawkhauser on the Disney Channel Original Series ''The Suite Life of Zack & Cody'' and Brian on ''Brian O'Brian''. He was also a Sector Seve ...
as
Rufus Youngblood
Production
![LBJ (film)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/LBJ_%28film%29.jpg)
The script for ''LBJ'', a political-historical drama written by Joey Hartstone, was one of the winners of the 2014
Black List
Blacklisting is the action of a group or authority compiling a blacklist (or black list) of people, countries or other entities to be avoided or distrusted as being deemed unacceptable to those making the list. If someone is on a blacklist, t ...
of unproduced screenplays. On June 16, 2015,
Woody Harrelson
Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor and playwright. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, in addition to nominations for three Academy Award ...
signed on to play the lead role of
36th President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
, while
Rob Reiner
Robert Norman Reiner (born March 6, 1947) is an American actor and filmmaker. As an actor, Reiner first came to national prominence with the role of Michael "Meathead" Stivic on the CBS sitcom ''All in the Family'' (1971–1979), a performan ...
signed to direct the film.
The film was produced by Acacia Entertainment, Savvy Media Holdings,
Castle Rock Entertainment
Castle Rock Entertainment is an American film and television production company founded in 1987 by Martin Shafer, director Rob Reiner, Andrew Scheinman, Glenn Padnick and Alan Horn. It is a label of Warner Bros. Entertainment, itself a subsidia ...
, and Star Thrower Entertainment, and financed by Acacia and Savvy Media.
Producers on the film are
Matthew George
Matthew George is an Australian film director, producer and screenwriter. His films include ''Under the Gun (1995 film), Under the Gun'', ''Four Jacks (film), Four Jacks'' and ''Let's Get Skase'', which was co-written with Lachy Hulme. His first ...
, Reiner, Liz Glotzer,
Tim White and
Trevor White.
Filming
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
on the film began in
on September 21, 2015. It was also shot in
Baton Rouge,
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
, and
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
Principal photography wrapped in December 2015.
Release
The film had its world premiere at the
Toronto International Film Festival
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF, often stylized as tiff) is one of the largest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people annually. Since its founding in 1976, TIFF has grown to become a perman ...
on September 9, 2016. Shortly after,
Electric Entertainment
Electric Entertainment, Inc. is an American television and media production company, established in 2001 by veteran writer/producer Dean Devlin and led by Devlin along with partners Marc Roskin and Rachel Olschan.
History
Electric Entertainmen ...
and
Vertical Entertainment
Vertical Entertainment is an American film distribution and production company founded by producers Richard B. "Rich" Goldberg and Mitch Budin in 2012.
History
In 2012, Rich Goldberg & Mitch Budin founded Vertical Entertainment, a film distribut ...
acquired distribution rights to the film. It was theatrically released on November 3, 2017.
Reception
Box office
''LBJ'' debuted to $1.1 million at 659 theaters, finishing 14th at the box office.
Critical response
On
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
website
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, the film has an approval rating of 57%, based on 83 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "''LBJ'' loses sight of its complicated subject, ignoring the more intriguing aspects of his personality and career in favor of a frustratingly ordinary biopic treatment." On
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
, the film has a weighted average score 54 out of 100, based 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
David Ehrlich of
IndieWire
IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Holl ...
gave the film a C, and said "Harrelson, who has a gift for squeezing charm out of even his most monstrous characters, leans hard into the contradictory notion that Johnson is a power-hungry humanist. The result is a performance that is both wildly ridiculous and appreciably grounded ... Harrelson’s turn seizes on his unique charisma in order to disentangle LBJ from the policies that have defined his legacy."
TVOvermind critic Nat Berman gave the film a positive review, and praised Reiner's cast selection.
Accolades
See also
*
Lyndon B. Johnson in popular culture
American president Lyndon B. Johnson (LBJ) has been a subject of various works of media and popular culture.
Television
* In the "I Dream of Jeannie" Episode; Season 3, Episode 13: My Son, The Genie. POTUS visits Maj. Nelson's home. The Preside ...
*
Cultural depictions of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis A major American icon, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis has been portrayed, alluded to, and referred to in many media in the popular culture from the 1960s and continuing into the 21st century.
Art
* Andy Warhol's ''16 Jackies'' (1964) uses four news i ...
*
Cultural depictions of John F. Kennedy
Cultural depictions of John F. Kennedy, the 35th American president, include films, songs, games, toys, stamps, coins, artwork, and other portrayals.
Film and television Fictionalized
* '' PT 109'' (1963)
* '' The Missiles of October'' (1974; do ...
References
External links
*
*
{{Lyndon B. Johnson
2016 films
Films directed by Rob Reiner
Films scored by Marc Shaiman
Films shot in New Orleans
Films shot in Dallas
Films shot in Washington, D.C.
Castle Rock Entertainment films
Vertical Entertainment films
2010s political drama films
American political drama films
Vietnam War films
American historical films
Films about the assassination of John F. Kennedy
Films set in Dallas
Films set in New Orleans
Films set in Washington, D.C.
2010s historical films
2016 biographical drama films
Films about presidents of the United States
Films about Lyndon B. Johnson
Cultural depictions of John F. Kennedy
Cultural depictions of Robert F. Kennedy
Cultural depictions of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Political films based on actual events
Drama films based on actual events
2016 drama films
2010s English-language films
2010s American films