Not Only is Natalie Portman Incredible, But the Film Transcends her Performance

Rating: 8/10 (26 December 2016)

First and foremost, Jackie is a testament to Natalie Portman's power as an actress. Sometimes she decides to just mail it in to get the paycheck (Thor), but when she wants to bring, she sure as hell can bring it! She plays such a multifaceted and dynamic character, bringing many different layers and complexities to the First Lady. This story really does focus solely on Jackie. Even when John F. Kennedy (Caspar Phillipson) is on screen, the camera's focus is Jackie. We are following her, and seeing through her eyes. And, in that sense, it never feels like a traditional biopic. Instead, it is a character study of a person who witnesses their husband die in front of them, except that husband also happens to be the President of the United States. We live through her stages of grief, as well as her moments of strength. But what was more fascinating to me was to see her obsession with preserving her husband's legacy. She doesn't want him to fade away into obscurity, and instead actively works to make sure that he will be remembered. It was a really interesting direction to go in, and it made for really compelling character moments.