Review of JFK (1991) by Drew T — 22 Sep 2008

There certainly were enough JFK books and materials around the house growing up for me to become engrossed in, and I remember the long winded accounts of my uncle meeting him at Harvard while JFK was still a Senator in the 1950s.

I even inherited my Grandmother's "Rockwell" of him. Growing up, I was in a bi-partisan house (Dad was a proud 'publican and Mom helped put Visclosky in office) and I always went the way of Republican, mostly due to Reagan being President for most of my childhood; but it never diminished my admiration for President Kennedy.

After this movie came out, I read all I could on the subject matter, including books like High Treason 1 and 2 and Jim Garrison's On the Trail of the Assasins, which became source material for this movie.

It is one of Oliver Stone's best work, but it cannot be watched as fact. One of the great things about this movie is how it speculates and makes you think. Having read more material than what is presented in the movie, I still personally believe there is truth in some of what is "speculated" here.

Some of the theories have come under fire, especially recently by certain respected historians, and even went as far as to debunk it on the History Channel. Whatever you believe, it makes for interesting scenarios and a pretty compelling drama.

The star studded cast doesn't disappoint, I especially enjoyed Kevin Bacons's character with the few scenes he is given. Like all good conspiracy movies, it leaves more questions unanswered at the end than at the beginning.