T2: Trainspotting

Director Danny Boyle and writer John Hodge reunite the original cast and return to familiar territory 20 years later in this sequel to "Trainspotting". If you are a fan of the original, then of course, your interest is piqued as to what our quartet of junkies and losers have been up to two decades later.

Returning are Ewan McGregor  as Mark Renton, Johnny Lee Miller as "Sick Boy", now known as Simon, Ewen Bremner as Spud, and Robert Carlyle as Begbie. When the film starts, all four still have troubles of their own but soon are drawn in to thoughts of revenge and common schemes. Also back but underused are Kelly McDonald and Shirley Henderson. The story is focused on the "lads" and all four actors wear their old roles like familiar skin slipping easily back into character. The boys are back, all older but not all wiser.

Its fun to be reacquainted with these characters and director Danny Boyle interacts scenes from the original film to neatly tie the story together. Using various camera techniques and once again, a great soundtrack, "T2" moves with the same kinetic energy as the original.

Watching the original again or for the first time will make seeing the sequel a much more enjoyable experience. 

Get Out

    A comedy/horror film from writer/director Jordan Peele is a contemporary racial twist on the classic film, "The Stepford Wives".

       When Black photographer Will (played by Daniel Kaluuya) goes on a weekend visit to meet the parents of his white girlfriend, Rose (played by Allison Williams), things take a very disturbing turn for the worse. Rose's parents are played by Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener. He is a neurosurgeon and she is a psychiatrist. They welcome Will with open arms but as the weekend progresses, all is not what it seems.

       Mr. Kaluuya is a very engaging young actor and fun to watch. His best friend, Rod, is played by Lil Rey Howery and he is very funny comic relief. Ms Williams, as Rose is a departure from her character on Girls and it's good to see her stretch a bit.

          There is an underlying racial tension throughout the film that comes to a head in an unexpected way. Without revealing details, Mr. Peele's social commentary is fairly obvious and presented in a satirical fashion that takes a very sharp turn in the last act of the film.

           Having finally seen it, the big controversial buzz about this film seems really unwarranted. It's clever and has it's twists but it has it's flaws as well.

Kong: Skull Island

                 After a run of serious foreign films for this critic, it was a nice change of pace to check my brain at the door and settle in for a good old fashioned monster movie adventure. Although there is nothing really old fashioned about the excellent special effects of this new version of the Kong legend.

                 The film stars a well known cast of Tom Hiddleston, Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, John Goodman, Corey Hawkins, John Ortiz, John C, Reilly and Shea Whigham. However, just about all the characters are completely superficial and exist to either end up victims or survivors. Ms. Larson's character is the "plucky" female hero that gets her closeup with Kong. Tom Hiddleston is the good looking solder of fortune hired as a tracker by scientist John Goodman. He agrees to join the expedition for lots of money. I'm sure that's the same reason he agreed to do the film. John C. Reilly's character provides the welcome comic relief.

            And of course there is Samuel L. Jackson. He is the crazier by the minute, Army Lieutenant Colonel leading his soldiers into a battle they can't win. We are treated to another great Samuel L. Jackson movie quote though, when another character says we need to wait for the cavalry, Mr. Jackson's reply is "I am the Calvary".

            This is a monster movie version of "Apocalypse Now". The story takes place at the end of the Vietnam war and the script seems to be making a very loose allegory about war but it never really gets there, instead opting to descend into monster mayhem.  And that is where the film does excel. The real stars are the special effects team and cinematographer, Larry Fong. The film looks great. The location is beautiful and Kong is magnificent in his raw power and fury. The various monsters are fun but far and few between. The climatic battle though, between Kong and the giant "skull crawler" is just terrific.

             For those who care, stick around for a brief scene, after the credits, setting up the inevitable sequel.

Logan

       Story and directed by James Mangold,  this is the final installment of Wolverine, as played by Hugh Jackman (according to Jackman) and it is spectacular.

        Mr. Jackman wears the claws for the 10th time as Wolverine/Logan but he is an older more vulnerable mutant. The script turns the superhero genre on it's head. This is by no means a typical "superhero" movie. It is an action drama in the mold of a '70's Clint Eastwood film.  It takes itself and it's characters very seriously and keeps the special effects to a minimum, only when necessary.

        Mr. Jackman deserves an Oscar nomination for this film but his performance will most surely be overlooked and forgotten by year's end.  He is simply fantastic alternating between his raw mutant ability and strength to a more human and vulnerable side. It is a wonderful send off to a beloved character. 

        Patrick Stewart reprises his role as Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, and his chemistry with Mr. Jackman is perfection. Their interplay is both fun and heartbreaking. The film also co-stars Stephen Merchant as the mutant Caliban, Richard E. Grant as Zander Rice, Boyd Holbrook as a villainous Donald Pierce, Eriq La Salle as Will Munson and the sensational Dafne Keen as the mutant child, Laura. Ms. Keen steals the film right out from under Mr. Jackman. Laura is central to the story and Ms. Keen is a natural in a physically demanding role with little dialog.

        The story has a mature quality of depth and emotion but plenty of adrenaline filled action sequences, quite visceral in nature, to satisfy the fans. There is no "extra" scene after the credits as in other Marvel films but come early for an unexpected surprise.

Land of Mine

This Danish historical drama is nominated for best Foreign film at this year's Academy Awards.

During World War 2, thousands of land mines were  buried along the Western beaches of Denmark by the Germans, anticipating an allied assault that never happened. After the war ended, the Danish army forced German prisoners, many of them teenagers, to remove the mines. This film is a fictionalized account of one group of prisoners. 

The Danes had a bitter hatred for the Germans after the war, and they are represented here by Sergeant Rassmussen. He is charged with commanding a group of 14 young prisoners to clear a particular beach. 

The Sergeant is played by Roland Moller and he is simply fantastic, slowly discovering an empathy he didn't think existed, for his prisoners . The young German actors who play the prisoners are also excellent with their various personalities winning over both the Sergeant and the audience. 

While the story never veers far from the beach, it remains incredibly tense as one mistake can set off a mine. There are explosions but, for the most part, not when you expect them.  It becomes a highly emotional story and one filled with moments of great humanity.

Written and directed by Martin Sandvliet, with wonderful cinematography by Camilla Hjelm Knudsen, this is a terrific film that should not be missed. 

The Salesman

 The new film from acclaimed Iranian director Asghar Farhadi ( "A Separation") is once again a domestic drama that starts out simple enough but turns far more complex after an violent incident occurs.

Emad ( Shahab Hosseini) and his wife Rana (Taraneh Alidoosti) are starring in a local theater production of "Death of a Salesman". When nearby construction causes a fracture in their apartment complex, they are forced to temporarily relocate to an apartment offered by their friend, Babak.  Unknown to them at first, the apartment had most recently been rented by a prostitute and this leads to a major turning point in the film.

Mr. Hosseini and Ms. Alidoosti are both excellent, portraying a couple who's life together becomes deeply tested. Mr. Farhadi's direction is actor focused and his screenplay, while not as intense as "A Separation", ups the suspense and tension as the film moves towards it's heartbreaking conclusion.

The film is nominated this year for Best Foreign film among a crowded field but based on the strength of it's acting, it certainly has a good chance to win.

Elle

     The new French film from director Paul Verhoeven is a master class of acting from star, Isabelle Huppert. It is a dramatic thriller that veers off into a twisted plot point that I'm sure appealed to Mr. Verhoeven, known for his controversial films.

Ms. Huppert stars as Michele, a divorced, business woman who runs a video game company with her partner, Anna (played by Anne Consigny). At the start of the film, Michelle is raped in her home by a masked assailant and from there, as they say, the plot thickens. 

As ghosts of the past collide with the rape and other sub plots,  Michele's world becomes more complicated and Ms. Huppert conveys an amazing range of emotion even as she finds a new coping mechanism to keep her life in control. It is a brave performance from a wonderful actress. Brave, not only for the realistic rape sequence but also for the fact Michele is not really a likable protagonist and yet, you can't help but root for her. All the characters seem stereo-typically French, carrying on flirtations and affairs as the order of the day. Sex itself, is represented by multiple definitions within the film. Love, power, guilt, boredom, desire and need all have their role to play.

The film leaves you feeling just a little bit dirty and in need of a shower to wash off the nasty bits. There are a number of surprising revelations and an important plot point that is definitely controversial and should lead to many a post screening discussion.

The Comedian

                 

Robert DeNiro stars as Jackie Burke, an aging insult comic looking to stay relevant and move past his old beloved T.V. character "Eddie". Everywhere he goes, the fans still want to see Eddie and the younger crowds don't find his brand of humor appealing. Mr. DeNiro grows comfortably into the role as the film goes on, turning Jackie into a fully formed character that you can root for, even when his act becomes painful to watch. 

With a very well known supporting cast of characters including Danny DeVito as his brother, Patti Lupone as his sister-in-law, Edie Falco as his agent, Leslie Mann as a new woman in his life, and Harvey Keitel as Ms. Mann's father, you would expect comedic sparks to fly but I found the film to be a sad drama with a few good laughs. The jazz soundtrack underscores the sadness in Jackie's life and there are so many scenes that are literally hard to watch that you wonder what director Taylor Hackford and a quartet of writers really had in mind for the direction of the film.  As painful as some scenes are, they play a crucial part in the film, which ultimately has something to say about today's society.

Ms. Mann shares most of the screen time with Mr. DeNiro and the chemistry that develops between them is believable despite the age difference.  Her character, aptly named Harmony, brings out the best in the cynical, angry Jackie. There are also many "blink and you miss them" cameos from a majority of stand up comics and comedic actors including Billy Crystal, Charles Grodin and Cloris Leachman (in an unforgettably painful scene, that proves she's a good sport). 

Watching Mr. DeNiro in his scenes with Harvey Keitel will make you long for a screening of "Mean Streets", the film that put them both on the map and two hours better spent.

20th Century Women

          A semi-autobiographical comedy/drama by writer/director, Mike Mills, the film takes place in Santa Barbara California in 1979 and is basically about Mr. Mills (here called Jamie) and his unconventional mother, Dorothea, played by Annette Bening. It is an intimate portrait of an unusual nuclear family.

         15 year old Jamie lives with his divorced mother and two renters , William, played by Billy Crudup, a single Bohemian man earning his rent by renovating the house and Abbie, a 24 year old very complicated woman. Jamie's life is also heavily influenced by Julie, a 17 year old neighbor that frequently sneaks in to literally sleep over. Abbie, played by Greta Gerwig and Julie, played by Elle Fanning are both charged by Dorothea to help teach Jamie about life and love.

           Ms. Bening bares herself physically to play Dorothea and chain smokes her way through the film. It is a brave performance by a wonderful actress. Jamie is played by Lucas Jade Zumann, who has a fine career ahead of him should he continue to act. While all the acting is well done, the story drifts in and out of moments that ultimately add up to nothing. There are pearls of wisdom by various characters, heartbreak and love affecting everyone but it's all told in a dull flat tone that I found rather boring. Mr. Mills actually speeds up many scenes as if he too, realizes he needs to move things a long. I did enjoy the soundtrack though, very much.

          I suppose there are those who will find the story charming (it is, in a dull way) and enjoy it very much. Perhaps if Mr. Mills had given his script over to another director who could be more objective, it would have made for a much better film but alas, that was not to be. 

The Founder

Based on a true story, this biographical drama is the story of Ray Kroc and how he "stole" the fast food giant, "McDonald's" out from under the McDonald brothers. It is a very engaging story and a great object lesson in business scruples. Michael Keaton plays Ray Kroc and moves through the film like the cartoon Tasmanian Devil.

The film starts in 1954 when Kroc is selling Malted Milk mixers to drive in diners. When he discovers that one of his clients has ordered 6 mixers (highly unusual), he drives to San Bernadino, California and meets brothers "Mac" and Dick McDonald, played by John Carroll Lynch and Nick Offerman. Kroc soon realizes that their new method of preparing and selling hamburgers has huge potential and he integrates himself into their lives in a partnership to franchise.

The film also co-stars Laura Dern as Kroc's first wife Ethel, doing the best she can in an unflattering role, B. J. Novak as Harry Sonneborn, a financial consultant that brings Kroc to his tipping point, Patrick Wilson as an investor and Linda Cardellini as his wife Joan, who ends up playing a much larger part in Kroc's life. Director John Lee Hancock gets the look and feel of the late '50's just right and like McDonald's itself, after a slow start, he moves the story along briskly and economically.

It soon becomes clear that Kroc is a ruthless business man and when his "tipping point" arrives, he eventually finds a way to make the business his own. Today, McDonald's is a multi-billion dollar global industry. How it got that way is a fascinating story and the terrific casting, Mr. Keaton and Mr. Offerman especially, make it very entertaining.

In the end, it's a cautionary tale of business where nice guys do finish last.

Toni Erdmann

Reviewed by many as a riotously funny German comedy, I found this new foreign film to be tenderly amusing but far from riotous.  While the film skewers sexual politics in a geo-political  business world, it also explores a unique father/daughter relationship in an amusing and unusually loving way.

 Wilfried is an older divorced music teacher fond of practical jokes and silly disguises. When his elderly dog dies, he drops in unexpectedly on his uptight, no nonsense, daughter Ines who is a business executive for an oil consulting firm in Romania.  Looking to reconnect with Ines, Wilfried takes on a alter ego , "Toni Erdmann" and upends her buttoned up life.

Peter Simonischek plays Wilfried as a sly fox of a father who realizes his daughter's unhappiness and takes things to the extreme to make her see life differently. Sandra Huller is Ines and she is wonderful as we watch her personality shift ever so slowly under her father's annoying but loving influence.

The humor of the film can be interpreted in different ways, from odd to slapstick with a few truly strange scenes thrown in for good measure.  Written and directed by Maren Ade, loosely based on her own father, the film takes it's time (almost three hours) to tell it's story.  The film is in German with some English and Romanian and the emotions stirred at it's core will stay with you for some time.

Passengers

Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence play two hibernating passengers out of five thousand, traveling on a one hundred and twenty year voyage in space to a new colonized planet. For reasons I won't reveal, they both end up awake ninety years too soon and must learn to cope with life aboard the massive spaceship on their own.

Michael Sheen plays an android bartender named Arthur, Laurence Fishburne has a small cameo and Andy Garcia has what must be the shortest cameo in history. Otherwise the film rests completely with Mr. Pratt and Ms. Lawrence, both attractive and personal actors who try valiantly to hold the film together for two hours.  

The premise is intriguing  and the early parts of the film are interesting and hold your attention however, things begin to get tedious and more ludicrous as the film goes on.

There is a reveal that pumps some life into the story and one big action sequence to create a little excitement  (the outcome really strains credibility though) and the ending could have been far more interesting if it had gone in a different direction.

The special effects are very good (including Ms. Lawrence's make up which is always perfect) but the script ends up painting itself into a corner and the film ultimately has too much going against it to recover from a strong start that ends up a letdown. Unless of course, you want to watch a melodramatic, love story, space opera with less and less plausibility as it plays out.

Best and Worst of 2016

Top 10

The Handmaiden- Visually stunning, exciting, perverse, dramatic, humorous, surprising and erotic. You can’t take your eyes off the screen.

The Witch- highly original and very scary in a minimalist way.

Hacksaw Ridge- Tremendous World War II true story of courage under fire with remarkable battles sequences.

Manchester by the Sea- fantastic acting in a sad, sad story without a false note.

Hidden Figures- Uplifting true story of the African American women that helped the Space program

Moonlight- unique glimpse into a black American experience that is captivating and extremely moving.

The Man Who Knew Infinity- Little known true story of an Indian math genius that is remarkable and features fine acting by Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons.

Zootopia- Animated story that is hysterically funny, visually stunning and slyly gives a great morality lesson.

Captain Fantastic- Highly original and offbeat tale of a father raising his six kids in a very unconventional way.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story- Exists beautifully between episodes 3 & 4 of Star Wars. Even though you know the outcome this sci-fi war/heist movie is a great ride.

Honorable Mention

Miss Sloane

Sully

Hell or High Water

Sing Street

Florence Foster Jenkins

Bottom 10

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice- a boring mess

The Legend of Tarzan- Did anyone see this besides me?

The Girl on the Train- Just ridiculous

Allied- could it be any less boring or unsexy

Hail Caesar- rare miss by the Coen Brothers but great dance number with Channing Tatum.

Midnight Special- a disappointment by Jeff Nichols but he redeemed himself with “Loving”.

Miles Ahead- Don Cheadle would have been better off with a different director and a better script.

Demolition- What they should have done to the film.

War Dogs- not terrible but overindulgent

The Magnificent Seven- Boring remake. Just an excuse for actors to play cowboy. You don’t mess with the classics.

La La Land

The latest from writer/director Damian Chazelle recreates the lost art of the Hollywood musical. The film stars Emma Stone as Mia, a struggling actress and Ryan Gosling as Sebastian, a struggling jazz musician finding love in contemporary Los Angeles. 

The film is colorful and vibrant whenever there is a musical number but does contain a few dull spots between song and dance sequences. Both leads do pull off the difficult singing and dancing adequately and definitely have great chemistry between them. 

Opening with a great musical number on a crowded LA freeway, you settle in for the ups and downs of this young couple over the course of a year and then some. Without giving it away, I found the ending to be the best part of the film as it's very original and extremely satisfying. 

Mr. Chazelle uses Los Angeles as another character in what is a love letter to the city. Mia's struggles at acting auditions, the shallow parties, the Griffith Observatory all become part of the bigger story. It's a fun upbeat musical love story and the kind of film you just don't see anymore so Kudos to Mr. Chazelle for taking the successful risk.

Hidden Figures

 This new film is based on the true story of three African American women and their team that made major contributions to the U.S. space program in the early  '60's. It is a heart warming, crowd pleasing, and inspiring piece of work. 

Working for NASA in 1961 segregated Virginia, Katherine Johnson played by Taraji P. Henson, Dorothy Vaughan played by Octavia Spencer, and Mary Jackson played by Janelle Monae were mathematicians who helped calculate the math that would help launch and bring home safely America's first astronauts. The three actors are absolutely wonderful in their respective roles.

Ms. Johnson in particular, ended up working closely on the Freedom Seven calculations with the first team of all white male engineers and mathematicians. Ms. Vaughan recognized early that the new IBM computer would require programmers, brought her team of African American women up to speed and were the first to use the new mechanical "computer". And Ms. Jackson became the first African American female engineer.

Kevin Costner and Jim Parsons costar as the supervisors  who don't make things easy at first for Ms. Johnson but slowly begin to realize her brilliance. Mahershala Ali plays Ms. Johnson's love interest and Kirsten Dunst plays an uptight, prejudiced supervisor overseeing the women's division.  

The film is inspiring in so many ways and one of the most feel good movies of the year, despite the blatant racism of the period. Overcoming so much prejudice as African Americans and women, to succeed and open the door for others leaves you with chills as the credits roll. 

Fences

     August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize winning play finally makes it to the screen (with a screenplay by Mr. Wilson before his death) directed by and starring Denzel Washington.

     Mr. Washington recruits Viola Davis and Stephen McKinley Henderson from the Broadway stage version they performed in 2010. The film opens up the story a bit but still feels much like a filmed play with the majority of the action taking place in the backyard and interior of their 1956 Pittsburgh home.

      It is a powerful family drama buoyed by terrific performances by both Mr. Washington and Ms. Davis as Troy and Rose Maxson. The rest of the cast including Mr. Henderson as Troy's best friend Bono, Jovan Adepo as their son Cory, Mykelti Williamson as Troy's mentally challenged brother (from a war injury), and Russell Hornsby as Troy's older son from a previous marriage are all excellent.

      While Mr. Washington has the largest and showiest role with volumes of dialog, he is generous enough to provide the cast with moments of their own, especially Ms. Davis and Mr. Adepo. Troy Maxson is a towering, imposing figure of a man, bitter over crushed dreams, who rules his family with an iron fist. The consequences of his decisions and actions toward his family are the basis of the plot.

          Filled with Mr. Wilson's prize winning dialog and Oscar worthy performances, it is a film not to be missed.

Lion

    A true story, Saroo Brierley is a young Indian boy of five who is separated from his brother and ends up lost to his family. Twenty five years later, he begins a search to find his original home and family, after being raised by adoptive Australian parents. The film certainly has it's share of emotional moments and makes quite a statement for the thousands of children lost in India every year.

      Saroo, as a boy is played by Sunny Pawar and he is smart and adorable. He is an expressive and impressive young talent. As an adult, Saroo is played by Dev Patel, already a seasoned young actor who is always interesting to watch. His adoptive parents are played by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham. Rooney Mara's talent is wasted as Saroo's girlfriend in a supporting role. The other Indian actors who play his biological mother and siblings, along with his adoptive brother Mantosh are all excellent. Another "co-star" is Google Earth, which plays a big part in the story.

      Since it is based on a true story, the anguish of young Saroo's separation and loss is soon replaced by the happiness of his very lucky adoption. The Brierley's have a reasonable amount of wealth and they raise the boy in a wonderful home environment. It is only after the adult Saroo has a moment of awakening to find his real family does the film take another turn. It is a seemingly impossible task for him to find his home and his frustration begins to cause cracks with those close to him.

        Mr. Patel is an engaging actor and it's easy to become emotionally involved in Saroo's search in the second half, and young Mr. Pawar captures your heart from the very start.  In these trying times, "Lion" is a welcome ultimately uplifting film.

Silence

Director Martin Scorsese's passion project finally arrives 28 years after he first made the decision to film the Japanese novel.
It is a remarkable achievement in many ways, that further explores religious themes existing in many of his films.

"Silence" is the story of two 17th century Jesuit priests that leave Portugal in search of a lost priest in Japan. It is an almost three hour harsh look at the brutal way the Buddhist Japanese treated the Christian priests and Japanese converts. In a bit of odd casting the Portuguese priests are played by Liam Neeson  (the missing priest seen early in the film), Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver. After the two priests are separated, the weight of the film is placed squarely on the shoulders of Mr. Garfield, who grows into his role as the film progresses. 

The persecution of the Christian Japanese and the mission priests who seek to convert and teach them the Holy Bible lies at the center of the film. The Buddhist "inquisitor" and his men seek out the Christians and force them to renounce Jesus under threat of torture and death. Mr. Garfield's  Father Rodrigues's faith is constantly tested throughout, even as he too, is forced to renounce Jesus.

The film achieves  greatness in it's storytelling. Mr. Scorsese's direction is nearly flawless ( he never spends much needed time in editing rooms), the cinematography is gorgeous and Taiwan, as the principal location is breathtaking. The Japanese cast is terrific, especially Issey Ogata as the "Inquisitor" and Shinya Tsukamotoas Mokichi, an important reoccurring character.

With probable little appeal to today's wide audience, "Silence" will still be a critic's darling garnering major praise and multiple nominations in award season. It is an experience that transports one to another world and time that requires a commitment and faith on the part of the viewer.

Rogue One: A Stars Wars Story

Cynics would say it's just a money grab for the holidays to suck in fans but "Rogue One" is a gamble that pays off.  The story exists between episode three and four of the Star Wars saga and successfully bridges the gap between the original trilogy and the generally panned by fans, second trilogy. Of course if Star Wars is not your thing, this film will hold no interest.

The story contains all the elements we've become accustomed to; a female hero, Jyn, played by Felicity Jones, a dashing "cowboy" hero, Cassian Andor, played by Diego Luna, a despicable villain, Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn, and a wise cracking droid,  K-2SO, voiced by Alan Tudyk.  

Mads Milkkensen,Forest Whittaker, Riz Ahmed
play other important characters.  And of course what would a Star Wars story be without an appearance by Darth Vader, a quick cameo by R2D2 and C3PO, and a few other familar faces? Two actors are digitally recreated for continuity (a little creepy)and that's actually an alarming concept. At some point, movies won't need real actors at all.

There are some terrific action sequences and the requisite space battle and the film moves at a brisk pace. I missed the John Williams score but Michael Giacchino fills in nicely to add musical emotion to the space opera. The special effects are up to par, especially during the climax of the spaceship battle. And of course, the film is breathtaking if you see it in IMAX 3D.

All in all, a welcome addition to the continuing Star Wars mythology that won't disappoint.

Jackie

    An absolute tour de force  from Natalie Portman who is just remarkable as Jackie Kennedy following the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Director Pablo Larrain frames the entire film around his subject with much of it shot in closeup for maximum effect.  An intimate portrait of the woman, Ms. Portman is just about in every scene.

     The film opens a week after the assassination and a reporter from Life magazine has come to Hyannisport to interview Jackie. Billy Crudup plays reporter Theodore H. White who  presses, as gently as possible, Ms. Kennedy for her thoughts and feelings. The interview, which appeared in Life Magazine, takes us to the days leading up to the tragedy and the days that follow. We see the private and public Jackie who's persona, already bigger than life, takes on mythic proportions as "The Widow". 

      Peter Sarsgaard co-stars as Bobby Kennedy and while a strong actor, doesn't quite capture the younger Kennedy brother. Greta Gerwig is almost unrecognizable as Nancy Tuckerman, Ms. Kennedy's assistant. It's an excellent change of pace for Ms. Gerwig and it really shows her range. Other dependable actors portray the real life people of the time including Max Cassela as Jack Valenti, John Hurt as Father Richard McSorley, and John Carroll Lynch and Beth Grant as Lyndon and Ladybird Johnson. In just a few scenes, Caspar Phillipson is a credible doppelganger of John F. Kennedy.

        Mixing recreations with actual footage, the film is very faithful to the public events surrounding the tragedy.  Jackie's private moments can only exist in the mind of screenwriter, Noah Oppenheim but they seem natural and believable considering the circumstances. Ms. Portman simply transforms herself as Jackie and never has a false note. She must be considered the strong front runner for Best Actress at the next Oscars. It's an amazing performance.