Jackie (MA15+)
Starring: Natalie Portman, John Hurt, Peter Sarsgaard
History is written by the winners – or so they say, it is also written by the survivors and, in our day and age, powerful images.
Jackie is not an autobiographical tale of the former first lady – it doesn’t follow her life story (there are plenty of TV mini-series for that including a new one coming soon which sees Katie Holmes resume her portrayal of the first lady).
Instead this film is an emotional study of one week, some would say the most important week, of her life – the week following the assassination of President Kennedy.
With Natalie Portman giving what many believe is an Oscar-winning performance (and sounding a lot like queen Armidala and Jackie herself), this is a portrait of a young woman (she was only 34 at the time) in shock and grieving trying to look forward to secure the future for her children, and back to secure the memory of her husband. It is a study of what is legacy and how it is built.
Beautiful, haunting and unflinching (particularly eventually in the details of the assassination of the president) the film delves into the life of someone now seen as an icon and a time where the world stopped, but instead of taking the overview it deals with the minutae.
It is a fascinating subject for a movie and Portman is so spot-on it’s scary, which is enhanced by haunting music early on and flashbacks that jump around in a way that reflect that feeling in early grief where you are unable to concentrate on anything and your mind wanders.
The inclusion of some of the soundtrack of Camelot brings poignancy as well.
There are some bum notes – the inclusion of Billy Cruddup as the fictionalised journalist who interviews Jackie a week after the funeral is an interesting plot device but the character seems weird and forced.
And while Peter Sarsgaard acts well he looks nothing like Bobbie Kennedy – something that proves a little jarring. However of the supporting cast (who really play minor roles in a movie where Jackie is the centre and heart) John Hurt as the Catholic priest counselling the young widow is a solid foil while Richard E. Grant as the head of household is blink and you miss him, but still impressive.
This is well and truly Portman and Jackie’s film and it’s hard not to leave the cinema at once impressed and just a touch traumatised by the experienced.
– Tania Phillips
