Review of JFK (1991) by Christian John V — 25 Feb 2012

Oliver Stone is one of America's most gutsy film makers. Taking the Vietnam War to frighteningly realistic levels (Platoon), satirizing modern stardom with cold blooded psychopaths (Natural Born Killers), and managing to make an entertaining film about stockbrokers (Wall Street), but taking one of the most controversial issues of the 20th century and creating an engrossing tale of a man's search for truth, and in it...justice. JFK was not without it's de-riders, claiming it is a complete falsehood (even though every single thing he said was proven...but I digress), but I wholeheartedly disagree. In my opinion (and Stone's himself)...JFK is his masterpiece.

In case the film's title doesn't give you a big enough hint, JFK follows New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison and his investigation into what he thinks was one of the biggest cover-ups in American history: the assassination of President John F. Kennedy...and who (or better yet, how many) killed him. Staring an ensemble like no other, which includes Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Bacon, Sissy Spacek, Jack Lemmon, Joe Pesci, Donald Sutherland, etc. and they all are in top form in this mesmerizing drama.

Apart from the great performances, the thing that really struck me was the editing and the cinematography. Re-creating November 22. 1963 this perfectly must have been one of the most painstakingly tedious projects a director could undertake, but Stone does it with such finesse that you may start to think you are watching the History channel, and not a re-created set.

Every single frame of this film is passionately precise, every performance is noteworthy, everything...is...great. While Stone has made some great films since 1991, I don't think he will ever surpass this masterwork.