Jackie

What makes this an intriguing biopic over others we've seen is the definitive time frame it is set around. The fact it doesn't chronicle Jackie Kennedy's life and how it builds up to her becoming First Lady makes this much more unique. Instead "Jackie" talks about what she went through when her husband was shot and the subsequent emotions that transpired afterward.

Jackie is a portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman). Jackie, through flashbacks from a journalist (Billy Crudup), places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband's assassination on that fateful day in Dallas, Texas. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a portrait of the First Lady with the help from her brother-in-law, Bobby Kennedy (Peter Sarsgaard) as she fights to establish her husband's legacy and the world of 'Camelot" that she created and loved so well. Both poignant and revealing, this story delineates the complexities following the shooting and all that encumbers attempting to facilitate the procession and subsequent funeral replete with soaring emotions and the politics of the day.

Others to round out the cast are Greta Gerwig as Nancy Tuckerman, John Hurt as The Priest, Richard E. Grant as Bill Walton, Caspar Phillipson as John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Beth Grant as Lady Bird Johnson, John Carroll Lynch as Lyndon B. Johnson, Max Casella as Jack Valenti and Sara Verhagen as Mary Gallagher.

This was directed with painstaking detail by Pablo Larrain ("Fuga" '06, "Tony Manero" '08, "Post Mordem" '10, "No" '12, "Venice 70: Future Reloaded" (Documentary) '13, "The Club" '15, "Neruda" '16) plus TV. I realize that Portman is a consummate actor, however the nuances that she was able to convey to give that 'Jackie' persona was near perfection which is definitely talented directing. His resume is eclectic, but I believe that is a tremendous feather in his cap. This way he will be able to direct anything that comes his way. It was well written by Noah Oppenheim ("The Maze Runner" '14, "Allegiant" '16). Interestingly, this writer has only 'teen-oriented' types of screenplays to his credit which questions me of how he was able to receive this project. However, other than a few places of slowness in the script, he was actually able to pull it off. It will be interesting to see what he ends up writing in the future now that he has graduated to a more 'adult-style' type of film.

This has received a Golden Globe nomination deservedly and will undoubtedly receive nods come Academy Award time. This should be watched, no matter what side of the political aisle you reside, because it allows us to feel so bad for a individual that's obviously between a rock and a hard place here. You are not seeing this for the 'entertainment package' as much as for the amazing acting by Portman which simply shines in this.

Out of 4 Stars: 3.5                                        Rated: R                                       108mins.