REEL CRITICS:

It’s hard to believe that Oliver Stone could fashion a sympathetic look at the life of George W. Bush.

But his intricate psychological portrait of our current president seems to do just that.

The screenplay of “W.” skips back and forth in time, which helps to reveal the many factors that led to the formation of the mind set that drives our commander in chief.

The basic facts of the story are familiar from several well-known insider accounts.

Excerpts taken from actual speeches and news conferences present an accurate record of real comments made by Bush in response to questions raised by reporters and the public. They are equally informative and disturbing.

Josh Brolin is outstanding in the difficult role of the troubled president.

James Cromwell is excellent as his father. Ellen Burstyn works well as Barbara Bush and Toby Jones as Karl Rove. But Richard Dreyfuss steals the show as the arrogant and self-assured Dick Cheney.

This movie is a surprising look at a complex situation that is at the center of all our lives.

But it’s the great casting and acting that might earn this movie some Oscar nominations.

Crime flick provides action, laughs

Director Guy Ritchie may be better known as Madonna’s soon-to-be-ex, but he has also written a bloody, good gangster film in “RocknRolla.”

Gerard Butler (“300”) plays a likable London criminal named One Two, and together with his gang, Mumbles and Handsome Bob, they get royally ripped off by snarky Lenny (Tom Wilkinson).

Lenny and his right-hand man Archie (Mark Strong, the only good thing about “Body of Lies”) are about to meet their match in a scary rich Russian.

The Russian relies on an icy femme fatale known as The Accountant (Thandie Newton), who helps One Two make back some of his losses to Lenny.

There’s also the wild rock ’n’ roll druggie Johnny Quid (Toby Kebbell), ostensibly the guy the movie is named after, and a mysterious painting that becomes a sort of Holy Grail throughout the film.

All the performances, especially by Wilkinson, are first-rate. Even Butler, while no master thespian, held his own and showed a flair for comedy.

The movie crackles with energy and dark humor but also lots of violence — the numerous, teeth-loosening face slaps are more brutal than bullets.

The Brit accents are a bit rough to understand; at first you might be wishing for subtitles but you’re soon over it.

With a cool soundtrack and witty camera work, “RocknRolla” was much more fun than I expected, especially during the credits.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.