Viewed in
2007
Premise
The story of one man's quest for the truth behind U.S. President John F. Kennedy's assassination.
Who should watch
Those willing to sit through a three hour long intelligent exploration of one of the darkest chapters in United States history.
Thoughts
Obviously, this film was too long. However, the longer I take to think about it, the more I liked it. There were some boring parts when the characters talked about too much detail and confusion. But the last third, when the heart of the film poured out through Kevin Costner made everything worthwhile.
What I liked best was the cast and the film's construction. Along with Kevin Costner, this film boasted one of the godliest casts ever put to film. Wannabe filmmakers would probably love to break this down to see how it was possible to cram so much intelligence, emotion and controversy into a coherent epic-length film. Kudos to Oliver Stone for making something something so divisive and unclear without fear.
While I do not believe in conspiracies, Oliver Stone presented some harsh questions. Being able to make people think was already a victory. I cannot imagine how emotionally draining it must be for someone who experienced this tragedy to watch this film. In the climax, Costner choked up on his speech about government, war, money, truth and American freedom. So did I. As I write this, it must be heartbreaking for Mr. Stone to watch how eerily similar the Bush administration has treated its power, American's trust, and history.
The brain of the film was probably never entirely correct, but the film's heart was in the right place. And that is what mattered.
What I would change
While I admired how well put together this film was, I would try to cut it to two and a half hours long.
