WILL FERRELL: YOU'RE WELCOME AMERICA - A FINAL NIGHT WITH GEORGE W. BUSH - DVD review

NOTE: this review IS NOT a space to analyze President George W. Bush and his eight years in the White House. Like you, I possess a political bias to a particular side, but that's not relevant in this space. DVDTOWN has message boards for those conversations, but only as they pertain to movies and equipment. Also, let's not assume that only a not so big Bush fan could enjoy this DVD, and that Bush supporters would find it appalling. Just know that even though it's physically impossible to be totally unbiased, I gave it a whirl. Tranquilo.

On March 14, 2009, Will Ferrell performed on Broadway. While it wasn't a flawless show, it was superbly entertaining, and although he wasn't in any rare form, Ferrell was, quite simply, hilarious. The next time you've had a day you'd rather forget, watch "Will Ferrell: You're Welcome America – A Final Night with George W. Bush." No matter how you feel about former President Bush's tenure in Washington, I imagine this will make you cackle more than you'd anticipate.

Known for characters like Alex Trebek, Janet Reno and that head shaking guy from the Roxbury skits on "Saturday Night Live," Ferrell went his own route after seven seasons and has since been back to host the show twice. Each time, his filmography has expanded. My favorite Ferrell tale is "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," but things like "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," "Old School" and "Land of the Lost" have all had their time to shine. Ferrell has the quality one needs to do impressions and act on his own comedy merit, a rare skill that doesn't always transition well from small screen to big screen.

This particular special is pretty much all Ferrell, all the time. He started impersonating President Bush just before he'd won office in 2000, and has had a steady relationship with the role ever since. The only other real quality Bush impression I've encountered is done by Frank Caliendo, and I imagine it would have been just as good in a special like this, devoted to telling the story and intricate detail involved during one man's two terms in office.

Ferrell makes Bush look pretty bad, but in an extreme satire regard that quickly separates his performance from anything you would take the least bit seriously. As I watched and howled with laughter (really, there was howling), I learned that Ferrell doesn't seem to either like or dislike President Bush. He just sees a really great chance to make people laugh by doing some killer impressions. Bush provided so much low hanging fruit to go from, and with the quality Ferrell's impression has to it, this performance at the Cort Theater in New York was a no brainer.

The special begins as Ferrell/Bush is lowered from a flying machine (this time it was a helicopter, unlike the spring 2003 Mission Accomplished photo op) in the traditional Bush outfit: a classy dark suit, perfectly parted hair, bright red necktie and American flag lapel pin. Ferrell/Bush plays tour guide, leading the theater audience and viewers through a chronological look at Bush's life and presidency. All the major elements are there, including the September 11 terrorist attacks, Iraqi invasion and occupation, debates over torture, public criticism about cabinet meetings and the infamous shoe-throwing incident. It's like watching a twisted blend where "This is Your Life" and "Biography" have been slammed into one, but there's way more profanity, obscenity and down right funny lines than ever before.

The special takes place in the present, and Ferrell/Bush comments that he is, sadly, no longer the Commander in Chief. He states that he's "a fan of the Tiger Woods guy" who replaced him, and compliments his successor's ability to speak to the American public. "Every time he talks it's like Shakespeare having sex with a bottle of Courvoisier. His words just wash over you like hot butterscotch pudding," states the man of the hour. Ah, the floodgates are officially open just five minutes into the special.

And, just so you're aware, Ferrell/Bush doesn't miss Washington's rigorous lifestyle. "I feel as free as balls in boxers," he states. This is shortly followed up by an image depicting, um, well, let's just say it was far more than I expected or needed. The stunt got massive laughter from the in theater audience and me, and the President illustrated that, yes, he can do anything he wants. "That's how unpredictable I am!" he exclaims. "That's what you call shock and awe! That's my stimulus package!"

There's a flashback, let's talk about my humble upbringing montage, where Ferrell/Bush states he was the "…first child of George Herbert Walker Bush and Barbara ‘Scary Lady' Bush." We meet the three younger brothers and sister in photos: Jeb, Neil, Marvin and Dorothy. We learn Bush is a Texan born in Connecticut, and was a college student at Yale and Harvard, though he states, "I would have gone to University of Texas for law school but there was one small issue: I was not accepted." Eventually, Ferrell/Bush transitions into "Cowboy Bush" mode and comes on stage without his jacket, but a large cowboy hat instead. He illustrates a great moment early in his presidency, when his family came to visit the Crawford Ranch for Easter. In the scene below, Ferrell plays George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jeb Bush, Neil Bush and Marvin Bush during a hike to an old, abandoned mineshaft that collapses on the whole gang.

George H.W. Bush: "Goddamn it George! Did you test the shaft to see if it was safe?"

George W. Bush: "No, of course not! It's just an abandoned mineshaft! You just go climb around in it! Besides, I thought you'd like it because it's historical."

Jeb Bush: "Everyone shutup! We gotta conserve oxygen!"

George W. Bush: "I don't give a shit! God's got a plan for me. If this is the way I go, then this is the way I go!"

George H.W. Bush: "Give me a fucking break! Did you tell anyone where we were going?"

George W. Bush: "No! I didn't! I only thought we'd be gone an hour!"

George H.W. Bush: "You gotta be kidding me!"

Marvin Bush: "I crushed my maid with a car!"

Neil Bush: "I once had sex with thirty Thai hookers at once!"

Jeb Bush: "I'm being serious! Let's conserve oxygen!"

George W. Bush: "Enough with the damn oxygen!"

George H.W. Bush: "Why are you the only one in this family that speaks with a Texas accent?! It makes no sense!"

George W. Bush: "Do I? Do I have an accent?! Because if I do I can't hear it!"

Apparently, a heroic Barbara Bush, who threw boulders aside and dragged a cart carrying the men back to the family ranch with no difficulty, saved the trio.

There's more detail I can provide, but you should really watch it for yourself to have the full experience. It's utterly hilarious, and while Broadway traditionalists would probably recommend "The Phantom of the Opera," "RENT" (which actually gets a mention early on in this program) or "Chicago," there's room here to add in this one time gig. Whether or not it deserves any permanent space on television, the stage or silver screen is beyond this review's scope. Its humor and downright hilarity aren't.

It's far too early after Bush's presidency to determine just what he'll be remembered for, and it's probably to soon in Ferrell's comedic career to figure out where he'll rank among our favorite funny people. But there's no denying that Bush did leave the door open more often than he should have, and also that Ferrell has some real talent in any situation, even an episode of "Man vs. Wild" on the Discovery Channel. If you put those things in the same equation, you get a Broadway and television comedy special worth experiencing.

President Bush has been publicly lambasted by many people, including Michael Moore in "Fahrenheit 9/11" and Stephen Colbert during the annual White House Correspondent's Dinner in 2006. Ferrell's performance is no different in its simplest form, but it's complex and entertaining in its own unique capacity. It's not a documentary or speech, but satire and farce. It also works so well that my sides hurt once it was over.

Video:
HBO presents this one-man show in a spectacular, clear video transfer. 1.33:1 has never looked so good, evidenced by the cinematic quality the show possesses from start to finish. Filmed in a big but not gigantic Broadway venue, the live performance is dark in surroundings but vibrant and lively on stage. Spotlights illuminate Ferrell from the simple set, but they don't overwhelm his spitting impression of Bush. The entire performance is visually stunning, almost as good as being there to see it first hand.

Audio:
The audio soundtrack simply doesn't match the video transfer. Sure, it's adequate as far as Dolby Digital 2.0 soundtracks go, but expect a few moments where you need to crank the volume up a notch or two. I don't know whether or not the microphones Ferrell and others used on stage were rigged to a separate audio recording, or if the producers just placed mics throughout the theater and picked up the acoustic sound. The music during the show and the audience's almost constant laughter ring through loud and clear, but there are moments where spoken words are more audible than others. English subtitles are available.

Extras:
More funny stuff here, including a "Bush on Bush Interview" that pits Ferrell in a dual role as both President Bush and "Rancher" Bush, a behind-the-scenes feature detailing cast and crew interviews, a true or false game where viewers can see just how much they know about President Bush, and a neat digital copy included for your Windows operating system or iTunes. For a 90 minute special, this selection is rich and sure to add another dimension to the special itself. Consider watching these well after you watch the performance itself. You'll need digestion time, I bet.

A Final Word:
No matter your political position, you can't deny there were moments where our 43rd President was asking to be made fun of. Every President does something that demands this to happen, but George Bush happened to do it more often than most. Ferrell doesn't seem to really dislike the President, but he does seize an opportunity and run with it as fast as he can. I thought this special was hilarious and controversial, helping Bush leave office just the same way he entered.