Jackie

Jackie

Starring Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup

Directed by Pablo Larrain

The Story:
While conducting an interview with a newsman (Billy Crudup), Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) tells the story of the events before, during and prior to the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy (Caspar Pillipson).

The Synopsis:
Whenever I hear about a movie that's based on true events, I typically take it for a grain of salt.  While the overarching theme of the movie could be the actual event, as it is with Hollywood there's certain liberties taken to embellish the story and make it grander, stronger, and bigger than they really were.  With "Jackie," this idea is nearly thrown out the window as instead of aggrandizing the facts, Chilean born director Pablo Larrain (who, being from a different country, was able to showcase an almost entirely unbiased view of the Kennedys) instead focused on the tormented former First Lady as she has to experience all the heartbreaking emotions in dealing with the sudden, tragic, violent loss of a loved one but exemplified because she couldn't mourn in silence - the whole world was watching her every moment.  Instead of grandiose speeches and gratuitous violence, Larrain instead keeps the camera transfixed on Jackie, and we as the audience are also transfixed, bewildered as to how Jackie Kennedy has managed to grace the big screen decades after her death, forgetting that we're merely watching an actress portray her.

This is due in no small part to the exceptional, magnificent, marvelous, intricately acted Natalie Portman, who not only portrayed Jackie Kennedy, but imbued her very essence.  Portman - an Oscar winner and also a Harvard graduate - felt so weighed down by portraying such a famous figure that she spent countless hours studying Jackie's old home movies, newscasts, transcripts, letters, and anything else she could get her hands on.  Much like Heath Ledger's now iconic performance of The Joker in "The Dark Knight," Portman became the character, taking on her appearance, fashion, movements, and especially Jackie's unique, one-of-a-kind breathless speech.  The camera remains focused on her, as she's seen in the darkest, most saddest moments of her life and the grace she showed to the public - and the torment she faced in private.  Seeing her sobbing uncontrollably as she feverishly tries to wipe the blood of her husband off her face was heart-breaking, and the montage of seeing her trying on different dresses but never finding the right one - something very out-of-character for such a fashion icon - was tear-jerking as she showcases PTSD tendencies, feeling out of sorts and showing an internal struggle for identity.

Filmed in a framing device, the outline of the film is done between Portman an Billy Crudup, who is only billed as "The Journalist," but is most likely LIFE Magazine journalist Theodore H. White, who famously interviewed Kennedy after the assassination at Hyannis Port.  The two conduct a very tense, powerful duet where one constantly tries to upstage the other - The Journalist interrupts Jackie, belittles her, and chides her; Kennedy holds a powerful grip over the interview, redacting information she didn't want revealed.  It's a fascinating pairing as the tension is palpable, thanks to two powerhouse performances.

The flashbacks recall the darkest time in Jackie's life, as she has to grieve her husband in front of the world, trying to maintain a sense of power while also feeling totally powerless, as she commands the screen with men all around her who constantly feel like they're being condescending to her and her needs.  The now iconic moments have been filtered through her eyes, and give a deeper meaning:
-Her White House tour before the assassination, one of the most watched televised events of its time, is even more powerful as Jackie struggles behind the scenes to act like a more gracious host
-The assassination itself, which is the most graphic part of the film and exceptionally jarring as the audience is lulled into the beauty that is Portman's performance before seeing the shot that changed the world in all its bloody aftermath
-The swearing in of Lyndon Johnson on the plane back to D.C., showing there was a rift between the Johnsons and Jackie
-The funeral planning, from Jackie demanding that her husband be buried somewhere of prominence to the elaborate procession was the most striking part of the film, as she butts heads with everyone around her - including her brother-in-law Bobby - to make the funeral as exquisite as she saw her husband to be
-Having to tell her young children about their father's death was simply heart-wrenching

The longest lasting memory of the Kennedy legacy is the theme of Camelot, yet it was never something mentioned during Kennedy's time as President.  Interestingly enough, it was after his death that Jackie introduced the idea of Camelot during the interview she had which was portrayed on screen.  She spoke of her husband's love of the 1960 Lerner and Loewe musical "Camelot" (which was also performed during her internal struggle montage), and Jackie focused on the lyrics "don't let it be forgot, that once there was a spot, for one brief shining moment, that was known as Camelot."  Those lyrics became strikingly true with JFK, as during his short reign as President, it truly was seen as a Camelot, both in scope, scale and short time.  It's a powerful connection that Jackie made, and one that withstood the test of time and became the most prominent legacy the Kennedys left.


The essence of the movie centers on Natalie Portman who would've easily won another Best Actress Oscar if it wasn't for Emma Stone's "La La Land" performance.  It cannot be stated enough the profound performance she gives, as it is easily her most daring, most adventurous, most powerful performance to date.  No other actress could've pulled off what she did, and she elevated the film from what could've been a subpar pseudo-documentary into a stellar tour-de-force performance that will be talked about for years to come.

The Summary:
For art lovers, they go to the Louvre to see the most elegant artwork.  For car enthusiasts, they go to the best classic car shows to see the most elegant cars.  For moviegoers, they go to "Jackie" to see the most elegant performance in decades through the incomparable Natalie Portman, who didn't just act the part of Jackie Kennedy - but became her.

The Score: A+