Not What You expect from a Bio Pic

Rating: 7/10 (5 January 2017)

Without repeating what others have noted, this is not a sweeping nor insightful biography into Jackie O's life (no pre-First Lady debutante nightlife or Aristotle Onassis aftermath). Instead, we are dropped into an impressionistic swirl of events right before, during and after JFK's Nov '63 assassination. The moodiness and weight of the tragedy are palpable, but the story drags and teases--giving us glimpses of other historical context, then pulling us back to Jackie's chain smoking grief.
Today, Natalie Portman was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance here. And a great performance it is. But be warned that she has a good 60 - 70% of the lines and the ponderous pace makes this one a challenge to stay awake for during a late night showing. However, I'm giving this film a 7 because to his credit, the director does pick up the pace somewhat in the last 15 minutes and tries to tie this emotional endurance test into some kind of meaningful, memorable package.