After John F. Kennedy's death, Lyndon B. Johnson assumed the presidency. This biographical film features Woody Harrelson as Johnson, focusing on his time as Vice President under Kennedy. Aside from the unfortunate events that led to him taking office, Johnson’s time in power was fairly unremarkable when considered alongside both Kennedy and his successor, Richard Nixon. _LBJ_ explores what motivated this man. As with many political movies—particularly those released near election cycles (like this one, coinciding with the 2016 Trump election)—it's important to view its content cautiously, but it’s genuinely hard to discern a clear narrative purpose in _LBJ_. Johnson appears as someone uncertain of himself, pulled between his Southern roots and an uneasy acceptance into Kennedy’s more progressive political agenda. He shifts from being portrayed as a calculating, ambitious politician to a caring and devoted husband. The film tries to center on the Civil Rights movement, but surprisingly avoids other significant issues like Vietnam, which gives it the feel of a dramatic presentation built around archival footage. Ultimately, despite some questionable and unrealistic makeup choices, Harrelson’s performance is what holds the movie together. His serious depiction of Johnson provides just enough appeal to make the film engaging, transforming what could have been a dull documentary into something watchable. It's worth seeing for a bit more background on the period between Kennedy and Nixon.

Source on TMDB