***1/2 and A Oscar Contender

Rating: 9/10 (6 December 2000)

I just saw Thirteen Days at an advanced screening at CSU. This is a great movie that should be seen by everyone. It makes you appreciate being an American and more importantly a human being. It isn't the feel-good movie of the year, but instead a realistic look into one of the most darkest, most tense times in the history of the world.
The key for this movie to be a successful one was to be realistic. It did not include any false events that would stray from what the Cuban missile crisis actually was. We all know how it ends, and I was hoping that Donaldson would not imagine a more intense ending and include that in his film. Though the ending of the crisis was far too close for comfort, Donaldson keeps it real, instead of more exciting. In most movies, the detonator is disarmed with a few seconds left on the clock. In the missile crisis it was a day or so until destruction, and that is still plenty of time to leave you shaking.
The acting is great. Costner gives his best performance of the last 10 years ( I don't know if that is saying much) and JFK and ESPECIALLY RFK are portrayed wonderfully. This movie, through great acting and story-telling, paints a picture that serves as a great history lesson, as well as great entertainment.