Commentary

FILM REVIEW: Vice

NNPA NEWSWIRE — If the long list of characters seems vaguely familiar… Vice will set you straight. Not only does it give a closeup view of Dick Cheney and his agenda, it threads together all the people and machinations that led the country into a misguided war in the aftermath of 9/11 and a severe financial crisis.

Published

7 years ago

January 2, 2019

Oakland Post

(From L to R) Amy Adams as Lynne Cheney, Christian Bale as Dick Cheney, Sam Rockwell as George W. Bush, and Andrea Wright as Laura Busch in Adam McKay’s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures
2018 © Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

By Dwight Brown, NNPA News Wire Film Critic

It was an historic power grab. Not the Republicans taking back the White House after a controversial, razor-thin win by George W. Bush over Al Gore. It was the vice president-elect, Dick Cheney, out-maneuvering George Jr. and becoming the puppet master. Cheney: “No one has shown the world the true power of the presidency.” If one quarter of this searing and satirical film is true, the filmmakers may have made a mistake titling the film Vice. Some viewers may think this bio/drama should have been called Dick.

Writer/director Adam McKay is no stranger to politics and news-related projects. He won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for The Big Short, a comic exposé on the mortgage scandal that brought on the 2007 recession. As a former writer on Saturday Night Live, he turned current events into biting satire. That skill comes in handy with his innate handling of a bleak period in time that most people would like to forget but are still curious about the behind-the-scenes scoop. With a well-researched script, Adams tackles the sordid details of a cunning, ambitious man who ran the country into the ground.

Sam Rockwell stars as George W. Bush in Adam McKay’s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures
2018 © Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Hats off to McKay and the casting director (Francine Maisler, The Revenant) for assembling a stellar ensemble: Chameleon actor Christian Bale (The Machinist, Rescue Dawn, The Dark Knight) embodies Richard Bruce “Dick” Cheney in every frame. Yes, he gained the weight, grayed his hair and donned the glasses. But the full effect of his uncanny portrayal is in his low, gravelly voice, the bent over head, slouching posture and very deliberate walk that evoke the film’s central figure in the eeriest way. It’s an impressive transformation, not to be confused with being an impersonation. For many audience members, Bale’s uncanny Cheney aura is the image of the VP that will linger.

Though Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and Moon) doesn’t look like George W. Bush, his interpretation of the party boy turned governor and gullible president is dead-on. The friendly Texas accent and accommodating demeanor sets him up to be the naïve rooster who invites a fox into his henhouse. Amy Adams gives certain power to the very demanding, king-maker wife Lynne Cheney. Steve Carell’s depiction of Donald Rumsfeld—businessman, congressman, White House Chief of Staff, Secretary of Defense and co-architect of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—rings true.

LisaGay Hamilton as Condoleezza Rice in Adam McKay’s VICE, an Annapurna Pictures release. Credit : Matt Kennedy / Annapurna Pictures
2018 © Annapurna Pictures, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

The rest of the key players in the Nixon/Ford/Bush administrations are recreated with distinct performances aided by McKay’s instinctual direction: Condoleezza Rice (LisaGay Hamilton); Scooter Libby (Justin Kirk); Gerald Ford (Bill Camp); Rush Limbaugh (Bob Stephenson); Roger Ailes (Kyle S. More); Liz Cheney (Lily Rabe), Mary Cheney (Alison Pill) and Colin Powell (Tyler Perry).

If that long list of characters seems vaguely familiar but you don’t quite remember who was zooming who, then Vice will set you straight. Not only does it give a closeup view of Dick Cheney and his agenda, it threads together all the people and machinations that led the country into a misguided war in the aftermath of 9/11 and a severe financial crisis.

McKay’s script is clear. It’s easy enough to follow the trail of lies, deceit and power plays. Easy to track Cheney’s backstory and the high and low points in his life: flunked out of Yale, a blue-collar job, an internship in Nixon administration, heart attacks, adjusting to having a lesbian daughter and a stint as the CEO of Halliburton, the company that received a billions-of-dollars no-bid contract for reconstruction work in Iraq.

McKay’s wink and nod direction makes a trainload of facts, figures and individuals easy to digest. Even if what he is presenting is obviously one-sided and almost as pitiless as the main character. The writer/director’s very smirky comic touch adds a teaspoon of sugar to some very bitter medicine.

Looking over McKay’s shoulder is the very skilled editor Hank Corwin (The Big Short) who masterfully pieces together humorous, dramatic and informative scenes with cutaways to provocative images (e.g. a heart beating on its own) into a visually engaging montage.

The artful photography is courtesy of cinematographer Greig Fraser’s (Lion) discerning eye. Susan Matheson’s (The Big Short) costume design screams Republican: She must have depleted Brooks Brothers entire stash of dowdy gray suits. In the few moments when the proceedings lose verve, Nicholas Britell’s (Moonlight) over-the-top musical score pipes in and raises the energy level back to mild hysteria.

Red state audiences will yawn. Blue state audiences will be outraged and see parallels with the current administration. What both sides of the aisle will witness is a barrage of revealing information about politicians and events that significantly changed history—not necessarily for the better.

Visit NNPA News Wire Film Critic Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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2 weeks ago

March 22, 2026

Oakland Post

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC