An American Affair

Plot synopsis:
Washington DC, 1963: the Cuban Missile Crisis is last year's news, and John Fitzgerald Kennedy's young administration is starting to hit its stride. Behind the scenes, however, winds of discontent are swirling.
Thirteen-year-old Adam Stafford has his own problems to deal with. At that uncomfortable age when both everything and nothing seems possible, he's a bit of a loner, a kid who spends too much time wrapped up in his own thoughts as he suffers through the daily grind of nuns, bullies, and girls at Holy Cross School.
Until the evening his adolescent yearnings come to life: Adam spies a beautiful naked woman in the house across the street, and his curiosity is inflamed. Catherine Caswell, a stunning thirty -something blond beauty, has just moved in. Captivated, Adam is determined to learn all he can about his new neighbor.
Catherine is an artist, a divorcee and a confidante (if not more) of JFK. Against all odds, an unlikely friendship blossoms between the innocent young boy and the world-weary survivor.
But friendship is never enough, not in Washington, and not at the height of the Cold War Catherine's hidden past soon catches up with them as she and Adam find themselves enmeshed in the growing confusion and intrigue leading to the assassination of the President.

Tags: murder

Review:
I'm not going to go into the acting, direction or overall plausibility of the storyline as other reviewers have except to say that this movie is basically a telling of the real life relationship between President John F.
Kennedy and a Washington socialite named Mary Pinchot Meyer.Meyer had been introduced to Kennedy some years back through various acquaintances, namely Ben Bradlee of the Washington Post fame who at that time was a reporter for Newsweek magazine and Bradlee was in fact married to Mary's sister, Tony.
Mary Meyer had in fact been married to a CIA operative named Cord Meyer who as portrayed in this movie was once the idealistic and now cynical and alcoholic ex-husband still looking for a chance to reunite with his wife.
Mary was also indeed an exceptionally attractive woman in her day and was artistic as depicted in this film by Gretchen Mol's character.
The existence of a diary detailing the nature of the relationship with Kennedy was very much real in 1963-1964 for Mary Meyer and upon her death nearly a year after Kennedy was assassinated, CIA operatives were intent on retrieving the diary for the potentially explosive information it contained not only about the affair but also on Agency operations with a view to the idea that JFK shared secrets with Meyer that may have ultimately resulted in his assassination.The plot of 'An American Affair' does indeed follow this real-life story nearly to the letter and the mystery surrounding Mary Meyer's death lingers today for those that believed she knew much more and indeed let on she knew who might have been responsible for the President's death.
That is very much implied in this movie, but I can't help but think this could've been such a great film with a better script.
That's not what this movie is about.Most of the bad reviews here come from those who did not see the typical Hollywood template film they expected.
It's not the typical American type template that has won the US only 5 Palm D Ors in drama at Cannes in the last 25 years even though we've put out tens of thousands of films!
Sadly, there are few American made movies worth the time or expense at a cinema these days but this is one of them.
These days it's rare to come across a finely crafted film that plays every character -- and literally every moment of every scene -- with an uncompromising integrity.
Instead of the usual attempt to make a marketable product that pulls the right demographic -- or pushes everyone's buttons -- or simply puts as many of the masses into the seats as possible, writer Alex Metcalf and director William Olsson follow their very resonant characters into the story generated quite naturally by these delicately entangled lives.
Like all really outstanding motion pictures, this film belongs to itself -- is its own category.Setting fictional characters into a piece of well-known history is in itself a major film-making challenge and not without its pitfalls.
Never showy, the thoughtful camera work serves the characters and content very, very well.The performances are uniformly excellent -- with Gretchen Mol turning in a truly memorable tour-de-force portrayal of this complex, conflicted young woman.
Mol plays every resonant note to absolute perfection and it's the key to making this film so unforgettable.This is the kind of movie that stays with you long after the lights come up.
Written by Alex Metcalf and directed by William Olsson, "An American Affair" at least earns points for originality.
For what starts out as a fairly conventional coming-of-age tale set in 1963 Washington D.C. suddenly turns into a piece of historical fiction when the obligatory older woman 13-year-old Adam Stafford (Cameron Bright) falls madly in love with turns out to be none other than the mistress of President John F.
Thus, not only is Adam introduced to the wonderful world of raging hormones but to the sociopolitical issues of the day as well.Adam is the son of two journalists who have no clue their child has been peeping into the home across the way, enjoying a full-court view of Catherine Caswell (nicely played by Gretchen Mol), a glamorous divorcée and ex-CIA agent guaranteed to get any healthy young American lad's juices flowing.
When Adam introduces himself to her, Catherine hires him on as a gardener, a setup that gives the youngster plenty of opportunity to not only make his move on this prospective conquest but, thanks to her uniquely complicated social life, to have a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into a bit of juicy, albeit undocumented, political history."An American Affair" throws so many disparate elements into the mix - May/December romance (or maybe more like February/August), lurid political melodrama, adolescent wish-fulfillment, cloak-and-dagger espionage, conspiracy-theory speculation - that it can't help but generate a certain fascination, even when the story itself is not all that convincing or the passion for the subject not everything it could be (this applies mainly to the first half).All the "Summer of '42" stuff is, ultimately, far less compelling than the political details of the period, steeped as they are in Kennedy-era glamour and paranoia, with larger-than-life figures acting out a torrid little soap opera in the foreground, while shadowy figures (mainly Cubans and CIA agents) skulk around in the background.
The scenes surrounding the assassination are treated with subtlety and restraint, making them all the more heartbreaking and poignant for those in the audience who lived through the experience.
In fact, the whole last half hour of the film achieves a haunting sadness that finally penetrates to the very marrow of one's bones.The movie certainly won't solve the puzzle as to "Who killed JFK?," but it has some fun trying to piece it all together..
and i wish other reviewers would stick to their thoughts on a movie and NOT just give another plot summary with their opinion tacked on at the end.in my opinion this movie is a captivating story of a woman (caswell) dealing with the loss of her child and failed marriage.
her being a mistress to the president is secondary to her involvement with adam.adam has stumbled upon his own sexual desires and his school life is a jumbled mess because he is thrown into a situation where he must grow up fast; in contrast to the 'child like peers' he must associate with.this movie is a wonderful story told in a suspenseful and at times frightening quality.
COA=Coming of Age. It's a set and somewhat stilted genre by now, and _An American Affair_ does little to change that.
Young Adam Stafford is isolated in the all-too-predictable World He Never Made: parochial school, iconic period parents cloaked in gray clothes and rote emotions, and females constantly pushing him away for no clear reason.
We get the sense Adam's supposed to be Somehow Special - maybe because he's an only child, maybe because he's the big-eyed, callow, Pure Boy - but he's really just inert, a force to be acted upon by the grown-up world.Gretchen Mol's Catherine is really the only flame of real humanity in the film, the only one not acting out a role of someone acting out a role.
Her role as Sexy Bourgeoise Bohemienne is contrived - cool jazz, drugs, and a patently silly finger-paint ballet with Adam - but she has a genuine emotional vulnerability that most of the film lacks.
The subplot of neighbor Catherine's involvement with Jack Kennedy - who apparently will talk to the CIA only through her - is not well integrated.
Lucien is so buttoned up he seems almost deliberately awkward, and Graham taking what we're supposed to believe are the only outlets from his masculine role - drinking and rage towards Catherine.
Director Olsson is, of course, working with archetypes - Cold War Washington folk - but he never lets them get beyond their icon status.
The news is spread only by Adam, the special boy, who whispers to the pupils - and a silent overhead shot as they scatter like birds in a Paris park.
Adam is a 13 year old boy who has just discovered his sexuality.
He is not so popular at school and takes a few beatings, but he at least has a prospective girlfriend; that is, until one night while perusing a Playboy magazine in his room he sees the real thing from his window, a beautiful woman semi-naked, right across the street.
From that point, Adam is obsessed with this woman, Catherine.
Most women would have sent him on his way for his own good, but Catherine is confused and conflicted, and she is a painter, a bohemian artist who is just ending an affair with JFK, and her ex-husband works for the CIA.
The JFK/CIA angle in this film is the weakest part of this movie; it just seems too far fetched.
The interaction between an older woman who is trying to find herself, and the infatuation of a young boy with her made for some real interest.
Apart from how boring this was, it was also historically inaccurate (apart from Kennedy's assassination), but even still, setting this during that time frame is somewhat distracting.The main plot is generic, recycled and unrealistic to say the least.
Not bloody likely.Still, though, there were a couple good scenes (the ending was surprisingly good), but just not enough to save a mediocre film.
Not a movie about Kennedy.
Kennedy - pretty girl - CIA - suspense.
I think the appeal of "coming of age" movies about teenage boys must be limited to the grown up teenage boys who make them.
Seriously - who wants to watch a movie about a boy peeping at his neighbor and masturbating in the bathroom?
Another Kennedy assassination conspiracy movie?.
The movie centers on a woman (Gretchen Mol) who has ties to President Kennedy and who is suspected of harboring state sensitive secrets.
The Cuban missile crisis becomes the focal point of the movie and her ex-husband and godfather of her child are CIA operatives.
The movie was filmed in the Georgetown neighborhood in Washington DC.
The movie has a bit of profanity, nudity, and sexuality for the R rating.I was raised in Washington DC and was very young when President Kennedy was assassinated.
This movie appears to have a somewhat anti-parochial school message on the film on how the teen encounters bullying on the school grounds and its depiction of the nuns who teach at the school.
Strangely, the movie might have even carried the plot if you deleted the teen character.
The movie appeared to waffle between being a "coming of age" movie and a Kennedy conspiracy movie..
The scene is 1963 Washington D.C.; the Cuban Missile Crisis is barely old news, Americans still fear the attitudes of the Russians, and the John F.
Thirteen-year-old Adam Stafford(Cameron Bright)endures the plight of bullies, nuns and girls at his Catholic school.
Catherine Caswell(Gretchen Mol)is a divorcée, an artist and a woman with a past.
Young Adam clicks pictures from his bedroom window and one night makes a startling discovery...Catherine is having a relationship with JFK.
Against his parent's wishes, Adam and Catherine nurture a friendship and before long find themselves in a whirling vortex of confusion and mystery leading to the assassination of the nation's youngest President.Captivating intrigue.
This movie is especially enjoyable if you've ever taken the time to explore several Historic and Real D.C. insiders from the era.
When you explore all these real-life characters and compare to the screenplay a clearer picture develops regarding the muddled plot lines described in other reviews.
The movie works better when viewed as an interpretation of facts on record.
Artistic license many times, but a few undeniable facts find their way into the story as well.
There is liberal use of "modern" swear words that feel out of place in a movie set in this period.
Racism, still so prevalent in modern day America, is not broached in this movie.The picture begins as a point of view of a young student played superbly by the photogenic Cameron Bright.
Cameron Bright is this movies saving grace and all the scenes without him feel forced and unnecessary.
The integration of these scenes is forced and awkward.At one point he follows and listens to some evil CIA types.
Set in 1963, Washington D.C., right before Kennedy was killed..
It was there, on my way to or from the cafeteria that I learned our President was shot.This movie, set in that time, brings back good memories for me, not that things were necessarily great in 1963, but because none of us will ever see 1963 again, time passes so quickly.In this fictitious account Gretchen Mol is Catherine Caswell, 30-something and divorced from her CIA husband.
Catherine knows John Kennedy, she really "knows" him, and at times he comes to visit her during the night.Cameron Bright, about 15 during filming, is teen Adam Stafford, going through the raging hormone stage.
Adam's bedroom window happens to be right across from Catherine's windows, and at night he often catches a glimpse of her.
As in intercepting her mail, steaming it open, to find out more about this mysterious woman who seems to delight in that she can turn on a teenager.All this leads to Adam getting a job taking care of Catherine's yard, with a fringe benefit of becoming her friend.
Overall the movie is more about Adam's coming of age (although he never gets close to sleeping with Catherine) than of Catherine's alleged affair with the President.
13 year old boy strikes up a relationship with a blond divorce artist who is a friend of JFK.
As he tries to survive life in Catholic school she tries to survive before her past and connection to the president come back to haunt her.
Okay coming of age film is the sort of thing that has too much on its mind.
The provocative art for the film has Gretchen Mol semi nude, looking like Marilyn Monroe and seems to portend a film different then the coming of age drama that is on the screen.
Perhaps had I known that this was more of a coming of age Tale I might have liked it more than I did.
As it is its an okay film about two people coming together to form a friendship.
Gretchen Mol could have made out with Perrey Reeves and this movie still wouldn't have been any good.
This film tries to combine a coming-of-age story with the shadowy intrigue of the end of the Kennedy Administration.
The result is a soporific and laughably dated saga that feels more like the childhood history of a serial killer.Adam Stafford (Cameron Bright) is a 13 year old boy living in Washington D.C. in 1963.
One night while his parents (Noah Wyle and Perry Reeves) are out, Adam sees the woman across the street through her window.
Her name is Catherine Caswell (Gretchen Mol) and she is one of JFK's paramours, something which is well known by Adam's parents and the rest of D.C. society.
That's the setup.The rest of the movie is an erratic and uneven mix of Catherine as a woman of the world opening Adam's eyes to life and Catherine as the cornerstone of efforts by the CIA to get President Kennedy to continue to go after Fidel Castro in the wake of the Bay of Pigs.
There's also Adam swapping spit with a girl from his Catholic school, a well-acted but terribly clichéd CIA mastermind, another CIA guy who turns out to be Catherine's ex-husband and too many unnecessary and unexplained references to Catherine's dead son.Gretchen Mol does some nice work, giving Catherine just the right balance of zest for life and world weariness.
That and a couple of looks at Mol's breasts are about the only good things in An American Affair.As for the bad, wellit's kind of unfair to do it, but the list has to begin with the inanimate acting of Cameron Bright.
He wanders through 95% of the film with the same blank look on his face and the only time Adam displays any personality at all, it's an appallingly self-centered and slightly creepy one.
Unless Olssen said to Bright "I want you to play Adam Stafford like he was an autistic sociopath", this is a truly terrible performance.
If there'd been a scene in the movie where Adam vivisected the neighborhood cats, it wouldn't have been at all out of place.An American Affair also intimates that it was the CIA and anti-Castro Cubans who were behind the Kennedy assassination, which might have been somewhat provocative or thought provoking in 1989.
When the Kennedy stuff completely takes over the last 20 minutes of the story, it's the same thing as listening to a book report from a not terribly bright 4th grader; a shallow and uninspired recitation of something you already know.In addition, An American Affair features a soundtrack that would be a great cure for insomnia, which fits in with the comprehensively listless and joyless tone and style of the entire production.
Director Olssen and writer Alex Metcalf take a young boy's sexual and emotional awakening, the assassination of a U.S. President, secret conspiracies and a woman who loses everything she's ever had or wanted and turn it into a flavorless cinematic oatmeal.
Even if Gretchen Mol were stark naked through the entire movie, a man could be stranded alone for 15 years on a desert island and still not enjoy watching An American Affair..
The movie has great actors (Noah Wyle, James Rebhorn, Gretchen Mol, among others); however, the Libtards in Hollywood simply cannot tell a story without their crazed anti-American, Anti-CIA, anti-whatever being the core of the story.JFK was murdered by Oswald (with perhaps the aid of Sam Giancana).
The movie is still worth watching as every 14 year old boy's fantasy comes to life and love is not what it is all cracked up to be!