Review of Chappaquiddick (2018) by Gina W — 30 Apr 2018

First off, I am so unfamiliar with this piece of American history that I didn't even know what the title of the movie referred to. I cannot form any real initial opinion as to the historical accuracy of what is depicted, so I will eschew it's historical accuracy and speak only of the film as it pertains to entertainment value and impact.

I'm please to say, it has plenty of both. With great classical suspenseful storytelling, the events of the fateful week when Ted Kennedy's life changed forever, come to life on screen. For those of you who don't know, Ted Kennedy was in a car accident one night in which his passenger was killed.

This movie is about the events preceding and directly following that event. The movie takes place over one week. By presenting believable characters and picking and choosing each moment they chose to include for maximum effect, the historical political thriller never veers toward sensationalism, while keeping things at a fever pitch.

The actors, writer, cinematographer and director all deserve praise for a perfectly balanced political thriller. Jason Clarke has proven that he absolutely academy award caliber (though not in this film), which he also proved on last year's underappreciated Mudbound.

The biggest surprise of the whole movie for me had to be Ed Helms though. He plays a cousin (I think) of the Kennedys, and in the first dramatic role I have seen him in, he is electric. Hopefully we will see him thrown some more serious roles.

Either way, you either do or don't know the events, and as with any political thriller, the movie openly leaves much uncertainty. It does not seek to answer any questions that might damn Ted as a person, but doesn't shy away from casting a damning light on many of his actions.

This movie makes the great point: that bad actions, though not admissible in and of themselves, do not make a person bad. We all have flaws, and shame on the media for making a man in power feel his flaws a thousand times more painfully.

Regardless of what he did, it should have been a private family matter, the same way it would be in the average american's Life. Altogether a very objective political thriller that had my attention throughout.

I loved this movie!