a JACKIE musing
The movie is framed through an interview with Jackie Kennedy and explores the aftermath of JFK’s assassination through the eyes of Jackie, a person who has just seen not only the President been shot, but her husband. Natalie Portman really digs into this role and certainly deserves an Oscar. Good script that really delved into timely themes of grief and legacy, but sometimes felt too heavy handed in addressing those. There are tons of extreme close up shots, making every single interaction feel super personal, and it’s shot with grainy film, giving a little grit to this dark time of her life. A big minus was that there was no interesting forward motion for me, and when it got to the end, it tries too hard to pull you back in and get you emotional, but it doesn’t feel earned. It’s a slog, but Portman’s intense, agonized and withdrawn portrayal and the character of Jackie Kennedy just ever so slightly makes this watchable for me. 6/10.