great film about the Cuban Missile Crisis

Rating: Null/10 (21 October 2004)

I remember first seeing this film when I was about twelve or thirteen years old. It was on pay-per-view and I had nothing else to watch. I began to watch it, but being ignorant on the matter I completely zoned out and fell asleep forty five minutes into the movie. It was very idiotic of me I would say, because this film, now that I look at it with a whole new perspective and having knowledge of the subject, is a truly moving and powerful piece, with few weaknesses.
Bruce Greenwood's portrayal of President John F. Kennedy is magnificent and nothing short from perfect. All the trouble he went through, all the thoughts and emotions he felt during the Cuban Missile Crisis are beautifully shown by Greenwood. He does a wonderful job of showing what it was like for JFK to be on the spot, between the hawks and doves of the United States.
This film really shows how close the United States got to a all-out, head-on nuclear conflict with the Soviet Union. As I watched this film I could feel the anxiety, the fear and worry that people felt during this period of time. I think and try to imagine what it would have been like if neither the USSR nor the U.S. decided to back down. It's a daunting thought.
One thing that I didn't understand was the cuts into black and white scenes. I felt that they had no purpose and the film would've been better off without them. I also feel that the film could have been directed more efficiently. Many of the shots could have been more powerful if they hadn't been filmed the way they were.
All in all, Thirteen Days was a great movie that really showed the audience what the Cuban Missile Crisis was like.