Jackie - directed by Pablo Larrain
By chance my blu-ray copy of Oliver Stone's "JFK" arrived around the same time that I was leaving the cinema from seeing "Jackie" today.
I have never seen the Stone movie (shortly to be amended) but of course I am aware that it is about the alleged conspiracies surrounding the assassination of John F Kennedy.
While conspiracies are nowhere to be found in "Jackie" the core of it is absolutely the day of November 22nd, 1963 and those immediately before and after it.
This film however is concerned not with Kennedy but rather with how the assassination affected his now widow Jackie Kennedy.
The assassination of John F Kennedy is one of the key historical moments of not only the twentieth century but of modern history.
Unsurprisingly then it hangs over this film from the very first frame.
We don't begin there but instead with the arrival of reporter Theodore White at Jackie Kennedy's residence.
He will interview her but she makes it clear that not only will she approve what can be reported but that the story she tells is her 'version'.
The film then hops back and forth to points before the assassination and to a few days after leading up to the funeral.
What becomes very clear very early on is that Jackie wants to stamp a very particular version of the Kennedy presidency into the history books.
In this case it is an article to appear in Life magazine.
She is adamant that her husband was a great man and that she is Queen to his King.
No matter what truth bending and out an out reinvention is required.
For instance she smokes all through the interview she still makes sure that it is written that she is non-smoker.
She is obsessed with the idea that the Kennedy presidency heralded a sort of royalty in American history.
She compares it to stage musical Camelot - the line 'Don't let it be forgot that once there was a spot for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot' is mentioned more than once.
The line becomes the centre of the movie.
The interview really did take place and White later expressed his view that the printed article pandered to a recently widowed woman's desires.
As White Billy Crudup is a fine choice.
He has an air of self assuredness that Portman's Jackie takes delight in tearing down.
She frequently asks him what he is insinuating when a question proves difficult.
One such question is the way that her children featured in the funeral.
She is appalled at the suggestion that she used the bereaved children as props in a production of her own design.
The funeral becomes the focus of much of the movie but tellingly a large portion is devoted to Jackie's redecoration of the White house.
The idea that she is image sculpting ever facet of the public view of the Kennedy presidency is front and centre.
Is should say almost front and centre because Portman's performance stands tall over the entire movie.
There is a reason that she has been hailed as an almost shoe-in for a Best Actress nomination at the upcoming Oscars.
Portman not only does a damned fine job with the appearance and sound of Jackie Kennedy but finds layers to her not only in her misery but in her happiness.
The scenes in which she is filmed in the White House talking to camera about her work decorating various rooms are notable for the phony smiles that almost hide her contempt on several occasions.
In one instance Jackie is interrupted mid answer with another question and the annoyance she struggles to contain is more than that of a woman subjected to rudeness and more of one whose well rehearsed routine has been cut short and fears that her entire performance is in danger.
The supporting cast are just that - support.
I don't mean that at all as a putdown - they are all very, very good with the time that they are given.
Several are all but unrecognisable and it took me a moment to realise that I was looking at Richard E Grant and John Carroll Lynch.
A lot of this is down to the terrific costuming, makeup and production design which do so much to lend authenticity to the film.
I also should mention the moody cinematography by Stephane Fontaine who was also DP on "Captain Fantastic", the great "Rust and Bone" and Paul Verhoeven's "Elle".
I wasn't as big a fan of the score by Mica Levi.
Too often its sounded like someone had been given the THX 'Deep Note' to remix - all deep, whining string notes that while indeed sounding like they belong at a funeral felt out of place by their obviousness on many occasions.
I had a mixed time with "Jackie" but even though it dragged around the middle by the time it ended it felt like it was about 90-100 minutes which of course it was.
It saves a surprisingly gory re-enactment of the assassination until near the end and as morbidly fascinating as it is I did feel like this sequence belonged earlier in the film.
I imagine the placement was to provide some context late in the piece for some of the actions and words of its lead character but by putting such a memorably grim scene at the end it merely draws attention of her.
Still- this is a superbly well made and acted movie and well worth a look.
RATING: 78 / 100
CONCLUSION: Superb acting from Portman and a fascinating look at an equally fascinating woman
Starring: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup, John Hurt, Richard E Grant, John Carroll Lynch, Max Casella, Aidan O'Hare, Ralph Brown, Caspar Phillipson, Beth Grant
Screenplay: Noah Oppenhein
Music Score by: Mica Levi
Cinematography: Stephane Fontaine
Edited by: Sebastian Sepulveda
Running Time: 99 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Language and Violence (quite graphic)
Running Time: 99 minutes
Language: English
Rated: M - Language and Violence (quite graphic)
By chance my blu-ray copy of Oliver Stone's "JFK" arrived around the same time that I was leaving the cinema from seeing "Jackie" today.
I have never seen the Stone movie (shortly to be amended) but of course I am aware that it is about the alleged conspiracies surrounding the assassination of John F Kennedy.
While conspiracies are nowhere to be found in "Jackie" the core of it is absolutely the day of November 22nd, 1963 and those immediately before and after it.
This film however is concerned not with Kennedy but rather with how the assassination affected his now widow Jackie Kennedy.
The assassination of John F Kennedy is one of the key historical moments of not only the twentieth century but of modern history.
Unsurprisingly then it hangs over this film from the very first frame.
We don't begin there but instead with the arrival of reporter Theodore White at Jackie Kennedy's residence.
He will interview her but she makes it clear that not only will she approve what can be reported but that the story she tells is her 'version'.
The film then hops back and forth to points before the assassination and to a few days after leading up to the funeral.
What becomes very clear very early on is that Jackie wants to stamp a very particular version of the Kennedy presidency into the history books.
In this case it is an article to appear in Life magazine.
She is adamant that her husband was a great man and that she is Queen to his King.
No matter what truth bending and out an out reinvention is required.
For instance she smokes all through the interview she still makes sure that it is written that she is non-smoker.
She is obsessed with the idea that the Kennedy presidency heralded a sort of royalty in American history.
She compares it to stage musical Camelot - the line 'Don't let it be forgot that once there was a spot for one brief shining moment that was known as Camelot' is mentioned more than once.
The interview really did take place and White later expressed his view that the printed article pandered to a recently widowed woman's desires.
As White Billy Crudup is a fine choice.
He has an air of self assuredness that Portman's Jackie takes delight in tearing down.
She frequently asks him what he is insinuating when a question proves difficult.
One such question is the way that her children featured in the funeral.
She is appalled at the suggestion that she used the bereaved children as props in a production of her own design.
The funeral becomes the focus of much of the movie but tellingly a large portion is devoted to Jackie's redecoration of the White house.
The idea that she is image sculpting ever facet of the public view of the Kennedy presidency is front and centre.
Is should say almost front and centre because Portman's performance stands tall over the entire movie.
There is a reason that she has been hailed as an almost shoe-in for a Best Actress nomination at the upcoming Oscars.
Portman not only does a damned fine job with the appearance and sound of Jackie Kennedy but finds layers to her not only in her misery but in her happiness.
The scenes in which she is filmed in the White House talking to camera about her work decorating various rooms are notable for the phony smiles that almost hide her contempt on several occasions.
In one instance Jackie is interrupted mid answer with another question and the annoyance she struggles to contain is more than that of a woman subjected to rudeness and more of one whose well rehearsed routine has been cut short and fears that her entire performance is in danger.
I don't mean that at all as a putdown - they are all very, very good with the time that they are given.
Several are all but unrecognisable and it took me a moment to realise that I was looking at Richard E Grant and John Carroll Lynch.
A lot of this is down to the terrific costuming, makeup and production design which do so much to lend authenticity to the film.
I also should mention the moody cinematography by Stephane Fontaine who was also DP on "Captain Fantastic", the great "Rust and Bone" and Paul Verhoeven's "Elle".
I wasn't as big a fan of the score by Mica Levi.
Too often its sounded like someone had been given the THX 'Deep Note' to remix - all deep, whining string notes that while indeed sounding like they belong at a funeral felt out of place by their obviousness on many occasions.
I had a mixed time with "Jackie" but even though it dragged around the middle by the time it ended it felt like it was about 90-100 minutes which of course it was.
It saves a surprisingly gory re-enactment of the assassination until near the end and as morbidly fascinating as it is I did feel like this sequence belonged earlier in the film.
I imagine the placement was to provide some context late in the piece for some of the actions and words of its lead character but by putting such a memorably grim scene at the end it merely draws attention of her.
Still- this is a superbly well made and acted movie and well worth a look.
No comments:
Post a Comment