MamaGravity
good back-story, and good acting
Kaelan Mccaffrey
Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.
Rosie Searle
It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.
Rameshwar IN
A must watch just for the phenomenal transformation from one of the most recognized faces on television - Bryan Cranston (thanks to being WW) to LBJ. For the most part, Cranston gets the mannerisms, dialogue delivery and the look spot on when compared to some videos of LBJ and rest of the supporting cast gives a competent performance too. With a slight overkill on the Precidency and the Oval Office in recent times (House of Cards, Elvis & Nixon, Lincoln etc.), there is no doubt a little charm in seeing all this is lost.Set in the immediate aftermath of JFK's assassination when Lyndon B Johnson (Bryan Cranston) the then Vice President gets sworn in as the 36th President of United States. Determined to leave a legacy rather than just being known as an accidental President, LBJ has to race against time to get the Civil Rights bill passed, manage his relations within Congress intact and campaign to get himself re-elected.While the primary focus rests on Bryan Cranston, there are some significant roles played by other supporting cast like Anthony Mackie playing Martin Luther King Jr. (rather miscast), Stephen Root as J. Edgar Hoover, Frank Langella as Senator Richard Russell a.k.a. Uncle Russell for LBJ and Bradley Whitford as Senator Hubert Humphrey. LBJ is shown as a very shrewd character using manipulation, deception and intimidation at will to get things done, anyone who would have reached that position is expected to have done some of those at different times. Though the premise and the time it is set upon is quite intense, there are also some good light moments like the time when LBJ shows off his amphibious car, when he inquires Edgar Hoover rather nonchalantly about mannerisms of a gay person and so on.The screenplay ought to have been a little tighter as it gets a bit boring off and on, trimming the runtime a bit could have helped. Switching between real footage and staged content does work well when showing the riots, demonstrations and rallies. Boasts excellent production values for a TV movie and every penny is visible on the screen.A Bryan Cranston show playing a president who went through high of highs and low of lows during his tenure.
Lee Eisenberg
Far removed from his roles on "Malcolm in the Middle" and "Breaking Bad", Bryan Cranston plays Lyndon Johnson during his first year in office. Having taken the reins after the Kennedy assassination, Johnson made a strong effort to get the Civil Rights Act passed. "All the Way" - based on Robert Schenkkan's play - depicts the 36th president as a folksy type who sees that the time has come to do the right thing (ironically, it was around this time that he escalated the Vietnam War).Cranston does a fine job in the role, as does Melissa Leo as Lady Bird, and the rest of the cast as other political figures of the era. One important things that the movie makes clear is that LBJ faced a lot of opposition from the southern Democrats, who felt that he as a southern Democrat was betraying the party. Nevertheless, he pushed through the bill, knowing full well that it would cost his party the south. Also noted in the movie is the FBI's wiretapping of Martin Luther King Jr.The recent political-themed movies that Jay Roach has directed mark a sharp turn from the Austin Powers and "Meet the Parents" trilogies. And he's done a great job with this one. Everyone should see it.
asc85
There's no doubt that there are lots of strong performances in this movie: Cranston as LBJ, Leo as Lady Bird, Whitford as HHH, and Langella as "Uncle Dick" Russell. But you can tell this movie was based on a play, because, try as they might to infuse this movie with any action and excitement, the film is mostly a bore, and I found myself nearly dozing off multiple times. And maybe their portrayal of the sleaze of politics also bothered me, most notably with Humphrey coming up to MLK at the Democratic convention and bubbling over with enthusiasm about a "great deal" they reached with him when HHH knew it was a terrible deal. Finally, while Anthony Mackie is fine as MLK, he physically looks nothing like him, and since they made an effort to have so many other characters look like their real-life counterparts, Mackie's appearance stood out like a sore thumb.
Zander Janse Van Rensburg
Dear movie lovers This was an extraordinary movie. I am an enthusiast of American culture and All the way granted me another great opportunity to take a glimpse into what makes the USA great, its politics! Bryan Cranston all the way! Cranston's accent in the voice over (verbal stream of consciousness/internal monologue) was very realistic, and to my knowledge accurate. There was never a moment that I didn't take my eyes off the screen. How greatness is portrayed in this film inspires action. The cinematography was done brilliantly, to the extent where I thought that the original material was incorporated. However, Mackie did a great job I enjoyed David Oyelowo's performance in Selma more. Warm regards
