JFK(1991) Film Review

 

 

 

Rating 4 Stars Out Of 4, Thumbs Up.

Rated R For Language.

Theatrical Cut: 3hrs 9min/189min. Directors Cut: 3hrs 26min/206min.

56 uses of the F-word.

 

Warning: Some Spoilers!

JFK is one of the most controversial films of all time. It brought up a lot of conspiracy theories about the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Whether you believe a lot of these conspiracy theories(There being a second shooter on a grassy knoll, There were multiple people that were involve, the Umbrella man, etc.) is entirely up to you. For me, I believe that there was only one lone person that committed the act, Lee Harvey Oswald.

 

But is the film offensive? A lot of people seemed to think that back when this film was released in theaters. Now, everybody looks back on it as an important part of film history. It actually has the courage to explain and talk about the conspiracy theories and consider them in the big court case. What I also like about the film is that, even though the film is called JFK,the President himself is not portrayed in the actual film. In fact, the only time we see him, is in archival footage of that fateful day in November.
 

November 22, 1963: Presdient John F. Kennedy is assassinated in Dallas, Texas. New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison(Kevin Costner) Decides to investigate the killings. Garrison investigates several potntial conspirators, including David Ferrie(Joe Pesci). The Investigation is soon closed when Kennedy's alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald(Gary Oldman) is killed by Jack Ruby(Brian Doyle-Murphy)
 

1966: The Case is reopened when many clues come across, including that there were only three shots fired from the Texas Schoolbook Depository. Garrison and a colleage go to the 6th floor of the Texas Schoolbook Depository to test how Oswald made the shots. They conclude that two of the shots were too close together and speculate that there were two additional shooters. As time goes on, Garrisons team quits the investigation after losing doubt in Garrison. Garrison concludes that one of the shooters was a man by the name of Clay Shaw(Tommy Lee Jones) and a trial is to be held.

1969: A trial on shaw is held. There Garrison debunks the single bullet theory and proposes the theory of three shooters. However, Shaw is aquite on all charges and let go, with Garrison refusing to stop until the killer is caught. This scene is greta becuase Costner is the only one speaking for a good 30-35 minutes as he explains his court case.

What I was really intrigued by was the fact the film followed Jim Garrison and not JFK. Kevin Costner gives an amazing performnace as Garrison who fights for justice behind the assassination. He has a sincere passion for JFK and wants to see the killer brought to justice. This and Thirteen Days are my two favorite Costner films/performances I have seen.

Just take a look at this lineup for the film; Kevin Costner, Joe Pesci, Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Olman, Donald Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Sissy Spacek, Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Wayne Knight, Edward Asner and John Candy. Every single one of these performers give it their all and do such a phenominal job with the role that they are given.

The cinematography and editing are particualrly well done, making this action-less thriller into an edge-of-your-seat kind of movie. The running time is a huge complaint from people who have seen this film. Yes it is 3 1/2 hours long, but it needs to be that long in order to express very single deatail of the film.

When you have a film like this, that chooses to express conspiracy theories, naturally, you will have a lot of people up in arms. Whats really confusing is that now everybody looks at the film as a masterpiece. In 1991, when Roger Ebert gave the film 4 Stars out of 4, Walter Cronkite himself gave him a copious amount of backlash saying that nothing in the film was true at all.

Oliver Stone is certainly familiar with controversy in his films. But his two most controversial films, this and 1994's Natural Born Killers were highly controversial. Now, nobody bats an eyelash. What Oliver Stone here has made, is a true masterpiece. It dares to be one of the boldest films ever made and rightfully so.

Kevin Costner should have been nominated for an Academy Award for his perfomance. Yes, Anthony Hopkins was tremendous too as Hannibal Lector, but that's a fictional character. Garrison was a real person and the fact that Costner didn't at least recive a nod really frustrates me. Costner is absolutley fascinating and transcendent in this role.

This is one of the best films ever concieved. The acting is top notch, the cinematography is very well done, the fact that it brings to light many of the conspiaracy theories surrounding the JFK assassination is very bold. JFK is such an important film, that I hope this is the next film that you watch. To not see this film would be considered a cinematic crime.