Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Portman carries "Jackie" with elegant grace



Pablo Larrain's Jackie might as well be called The Planning of John F. Kennedy's Funeral. The movie deals with the aforementioned President's death and upcoming funeral and then over-long discussion as to where he'll be buried and how his procession will proceed and... but I digress.  As Jacqueline Kennedy, Natalie Portman portrays the physical aroma and general demeanor of the first lady convincingly, capturing the woman's pride but also her long suppressed anguish.  The movie never quite captures her relationship with JFK, as we hardly see them together; instead, we're left to form who Jackie really was from her friendships with Robert F. Kennedy (Peter Saarsgard) and her priest (John Hurt) - quite an insightful scene that nicely dissects the heroine's soul searching dilemma.  There also isn't much of a story, only lots of sadness and countless tears, and the movie has a general made-for-TV feel (with the exception of few F bombs), and if not for Portman, I feel it would've ended up being one.
B-

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