All the Way, at times, feels overstuffed, but you remain riveted while watching Cranston delve into the many layers of Johnson's personality, from folksy warmth to ruthless rage to the nagging insecurity.

Jay Roach, who directed Cranston in Trumbo, never lets the fast-moving All the Way seem like a play put on film. He draws uniformly fine performances and showcases his hard-working star. The results: Cranston wins again.

All the Way is a more satisfying movie than it was a play. Intense closeups of the characters, plus news footage from the 1960s civil rights showdown and Barry Goldwater's campaign, make it both more intimate and more epic.

By failing to truly engage with the civil rights story in a compelling way and focusing simply on Johnson’s journey towards presidential relevancy, All The Way struggles with pacing. It feels longer than its two hour run time...