"Back and to the left. Back and to the left."

Rating: 10/10 (13 March 2004)

This is a riveting movie from start to finish and the way it racks up the tension is, well, better than anything I've ever seen. An all-star cast, wonderful direction, top notch screenplay and suspenceful score. Of course, as 'history' we all know JFK is quite seriously flawed, but does that really matter? it's only a movie after all. Personally, I loved it. I've read the long and eloquent reviews of others and there's no point just repeating what other folks have already said, so here's my 'take' on the murder of President Kennedy. MY theory is that Lee Harvey Oswald was suffering from undiagnosed Aspergers Syndrome; a minor form of Autism. Look it up on the internet (if you're interested). It's the only thing - for me - that explains his character. Oswald was a highly intelligent man, but without focus. His (self taught) Russian was not only fluent but perfect. He joined the US Marine Corps, but was attracted to Communism and he was active in both the pro and anti castro movements. I think Oswald was involved in the murder (somehow) but my conclusion is he wasn't the only shooter and probably not a shooter at all. I think there WAS a conspiracy and shadowy people far more streetwise than Oswald easily picked him out as a tailor-made fall guy. Just a few hours before his death JFK said: "We're heading into nut country today". Dallas was a 'hostile' city, so how come his security was so lax? And despite the movie's many inaccuracies it did get one vital thing right. "Back and to the left. Back and to the left". The final shot which killed the President could never have been fired from behind the car. The anti conspiracy theorists always put forward the notion that (if it was a conspiracy) someone would've eventually confessed. I'd say, confessed to what? This movie presents the conspiracy as maddeningly 'vague' and I think that's bang on the nail. Each person involved would've only known as much as they needed to. No one person could ever prove anything. I was born 2 months after event, but my parents both told me they wept when they heard President Kennedy had been killed, just like many millions of people. despite his well documented sexual flaws I think JFK was a great man who could've given so much to the world. This movie is wonderful entertainment, but it also makes a viewer think too. All in all, excellent.