A fairly solid political drama

Rating: 8/10 (29 May 2003)

Thirteen Days isn't for everyone. If you're not into political dramas then you're not going to like it, because it's a down-the-line, hardcore, plain-and-simple political drama. There's little character devlopment surrounding the momentous characters (nor is any really necessary), and there's not much action beyond a U2 spy plane getting shot down.
If like me, however, you have a passing interest in the Kennedy administration and the whole 'Missiles of October' incident, then this movie is definitely worth a look. The whole thing is very well made, well acted and sleek. Having watched some of the older Kennedy movies, it's nice to see the high-sheen finish of a modern Hollywood production being put to use on this subject matter.
Costner's had a hard time at the box office lately, this movie included. However, he does a sterling job here as Kenneth P. O'Donnell. Actually, his entire role was relatively needless, and he got more screen time than necessary for his character. However, he played the part very well throughout, apart from a slightly shaky Boston accent.
Bruce Greenwood is a great actor. He manages to be pretty convincing as JFK, even though he doesn't sound like the former president one bit. Whether it was a conscious decision not to try to mock up the unmistakable JFK accent, or whether Greenwood simply didn't pull it off, I don't know, but the performance doesn't suffer too much. Greenwood's voice is far deeper than JFK's too, so Greenwood automatically comes across as more brooding and moody. The other approach would have been to concentrate on JFK's voice, the accent, the right-fist-clenched hand gestures, the upturned top lip... that's precisely the way Martin Sheen approached the part in "Kennedy" (1983). Sheen's performance was uncanny (truly, truly uncanny), but sometimes felt a little like a "caricature". Greenwood's performance is the opposite -- much more subtle and less "hammy", but essentially less accurate too.
For me, Steven Culp as Bobby Kennedy is the best all-rounder in this movie. His acting is great, and he looks and sounds the part too, mananging to do the Kennedy accent without ever sounding like a self-caricature. This is Culp's second outing as RFK, having played the Attorney General in a low-budget TV effort about Marilyn Monroe a few years beforehand. He really does a great job here... full marks!
So, all round, this is a well-made, well-acted and historically accurate political drama. I'm going to give it a 7.5 out of 10.