Review: Jackie

Jackie was an amazing First Lady, but can she be an amazing Movie?
We all know about JFK’s assassination but have you ever seen it portrayed through his Jackie Kennedy’s point of view? Jackie is the film that does just that by focusing on the iconic First Lady during the week immediately after her husband JFK’s assassination. The film takes its viewers into the life of Jackie as she tries to maintain her iconic poise and grace while trying desperately to preserve her husband’s legacy and in their world of “Camelot”.

The plot is set up as Jackie recounting her life with JFK as well as his assassination to a reporter just one week after the tragic event, which tugs at her psyche.

I really liked how the director approached the storyline of how much Jackie Kennedy’s world changed but she didn’t want others to see that. The movie dove into the psychological aspect of just how hard it affected her because of all the secrets he kept from her but she wanted to also protect his legacy, especially since he wasn’t able to complete his term to show his full potential. Even the camera angles and music did a good job at tuning in to how close and intimate the filmmaker wanted to get viewers to feel toward Jackie. Since she was usually portrayed as a debutante and always poise, it was uncomfortable yet mesmerizing to see her try to keep her control and sanity at some points due to her entire life being uprooted because of the unfortunate event that took place.

The film was largely dramatic which made it seem all the more realistic, especially since the Kennedys were known for glamour and fame. Natalie Portman did an excellent job as Jackie who was shaken to the core with the grief but stayed well manicured and kept up the façade of living the life of Camelot. I definitely recommend this movie if you like U.S. history or want to watch a good biography.

3 out of 5

What would I have changed? (Spoilers)
Click here to read what I would Change
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Ashley Ashley (Contributor) is an Orlando native who loves watching movies. Her favorite genres include comedies, thrillers and sci-fi

Comments

Nicole Burnett said…
I enjoyed the movie, but it was very slow with no major reveals. I certainly have always liked Jackie and was hoping to see more of a glimpse into her life. I felt the movie should have highlighted more than it did and gone further into the future. It did not leave me thinking she was great or had accomplished anything interesting. Worth watching but certainly a DVD movie, not a rush to the theater. To be honest, I was disappointed and was wanting more.
Elizabeth Parker said…
I agree - way too slow. Portman was great but the movie itself was kind of meh, I gave it 3.5/5 but only because of her performance.
Stephen Clark said…
I liked this movie. It was shot beautifully, and it gave an erie and amazing insight into what must have been a surrealistic experience for Jackie Kennedy in the days following her husband's assassin. Natalie Portman's portrayal as the first lady was amazing. The soundtrack was unsettling and perfectly catapulted the viewer into the mindset of the moment. While yes, it did have it's slow sections, it was a beautifully shot and poignant film.
Jaci G said…
Brings back a lot of feelings of that infamous day! The movie was good and Natalie Portman was outstanding!
Nicole McNeely said…
I thought the film was a wonderful perceptive of Jackie. It did makes me want to do more research of the family. The movie portrayed a fascinating approach from Jackie's perspective on a world-changing event. Natalie did a phenomenal job. I have always found her to be an amazing actress. I did, however, feel that this was sort of more like a made-for-tv-movie. I agree completely that I wish the movie would have gone into a little more of the kind of person Jackie became after her husband's horrible death and when she left the White House.
Kamela Kern said…
I'm looking forward to seeing this one with my mom and maybe my grandmother.
Patricia Shea-Samul said…
I loved the movie and Natalie Portman's portrayal. I was 11 when I saw all this play out on TV.
joan bush said…
I liked the movie. I was very young when it happened.
Ashley said…
Agreed! I think Natalie Portman did a good job but it left me wanting to know more about Jackie's accomplishments
Ashley said…
I had the same feeling after to do more research about the family after watching. Also, I agree that Natalie Portman did a great job portraying Jackie's point of view which is a rare find
Ashley said…
I thought it was shot beautifully as well and the soundtrack definitely added to the unsettling, eerie vibe which made the movie all the more realistic and psychologically insightful on the situation
Konnie Semonski said…
Very powerful portrayal of Jackie Kennedy. Not only did this woman lose her husband, he was killed before her eyes. Natalie Portman gave a graceful portrayal of Jackie living through the nightmare of losing her husband, being frightened to be left alone with 2 small children and not knowing who to turn to. Well done.
sandy weinstein said…
i did not get to see this when i had tickets. but i saw the previews and read abt it and found it to be extremely good. i thought is was a good portrayal of Jackie Kennedy.
Robbie Pitt said…
Outside of Natalie Portman's outstanding pertormance as Jackie Kennedy, I found there to be no redeeming value to this film. I simply could not stand the painfully slow placing & absolutely horrendous score. I walked out approx an hour into the film.
Michelle Ng said…
Not a big fan of the film. The flashbacks were too frequent and the timeline was throwing me off. Natalie Portman's performance was great though.
Liz said…
Cool review
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