Jfk

Rating: 8/10 (15 September 2009)

Golden Globe winning, and Oscar nominated director Oliver Stone was naturally the perfect choice for this magnificent film focusing on one of the most devastating events in American political history, and I had to watch it. The film opens with narration by Martin Sheen about the life of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, leading from 1961 till November 22nd 1963 when he was shockingly shot and killed. The story, made up from both fact and opinion, sees District Attorney Jim Garrison (Golden Globe nominated Kevin Costner) return after three years since the incident to find who was responsible in as many fields of the murder as possible. He interviews all people who were connected to the key suspect, also murdered, Lee Harvey Oswald (Gary Oldman), including David Ferrie (Joe Pesci), Jack Martin (Jack Lemmon), Senator Long (Walter Matthau), Dean Andrews (John Candy), Willie O'Keefe (Kevin Bacon) and X (Donald Sutherland). All these witnesses lead Garrison to charging Clay Shaw (Oscar and BAFTA nominated Tommy Lee Jones) with strong connection to the assassination, and he is preparing to have a hopeful conclusion made in a trial. This investigation is putting strain on Garrison's relationship with wife Liz (Sissy Spacek) and their kids, but he is determined to have justice brought to America with his passion for the terrible event. In the end, Shaw was found not guilty, and according to the end text, Garrison continued to try and find the truth, and apparently true facts of Kennedy's assassination will be revealed by the year 2027. Also starring Jay O. Sanders as Lou Ivon, Michael Rooker as Bill Broussard, Laurie Metcalf as Susie Cox, Gary Grubbs as Al Oser, Edward Asner as Guy Bannister, Brian Doyle-Murray as Jack Ruby, Sally Kirkland as Rose Cheramie, Beata Pozniak as Marina Oswald, Vincent D'Onofrio as Bill Newman, the real Jim Garrison as Earl Warren, Wayne Knight as Numa Bertel, Tony Plana as Carlos Bringuier, Dale Dye as General Y and Bob Gunton as TV Newsman #3. It is unknown of course whether Oswald acted alone or as part of a team, but this film does make a very plausible account of events. With a fantastic cast list, terrific use of archive footage, not just of Kennedy, but also some Fidel Castro, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, this is a magnificent political thriller that I would definitely recommend. It won the Oscars for Best Cinematography and Best Film Editing, and it was nominated for Best Music for John Williams, Best Sound, Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium for Stone and Zachary Sklar and Best Picture, it won the BAFTAs for Best Editing and Best Sound, and it was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay, and it was nominated the Golden Globes for Best Motion Picture - Drama and Best Screenplay. Kevin Costner was number 93 on The 100 Greatest Movie Stars. Very good!