A strong performance from Portman

Rating: 6/10 (21 February 2017)

I wasn't really looking forward to watching this movie. I didn't really know anything about Jackie Kennedy, or the Kennedy presidency and the era surrounding it in all honesty. I haven't ever had the want or urge to learn about that period of American history and as such I didn't know what to expect.
First things first; This is not a movie about the killing of JFK (Everyone knows that happened - right?). This is not a movie about Jackie the women (although I do now know a little more about her than what I did). It is a movie about Jackie the Widow and the week or so following JFK's killing.
The movie is unsurprisingly melancholic. I found myself time and again being reminded of Lars Von Trier's film - Melancholia.
The same despair is prevalent, of course it would be given the circumstances surrounding the theme of the movie. But, that is not for me, where the similarities end... The music throughout tells the story on it's own and is used in the same way to set the mood and feeling throughout the film. It is the second best part of the movie...
That brings me on to the best part of the movie, which is Natalie Portman's performance. Now, I have to say, I have never been a big fan of her work, however in this movie she captures what I now believe to be Jackie Kennedy in the immediate aftermath of JFK's death. She has been nominated for an Oscar this year and must be up their with the favourites. Her performance is riveting.
The pace of the movie although slow is apt as it seems to correlate to that time period and again captures the mood of the movie. Stick with it if you are finding it a little tedious, there was a point where I wanted to get up and leave the movie alone.
With that being said, I'm glad I didn't, I'm happy i've seen it - although I'm not sure I'll watch it again. I appreciate the movie, the way the music is used and the Performance of Portman, but at the end of the day, I was bored half way through and not sad when the film ended.
I do now know a little more about the story in general, however I'm not going to go and pick up a book to learn more about any of this period.
It isn't a bad movie, there isn't really a lot you can do with it as it is framed around Jackie the widow in the aftermath of JFK's murder - as mentioned above. It is executed in the best possible way I believe it could have been. Would I have been more interested in the story of Jackie the women - probably. Would I have been more interested in JFK's life with Jackie - I would say so.
If you are interested in this very important bit of American history, then this film is for you. If not, you may not be blown away...