Sunday, May 06, 2007
Bobby
- Who's watched: M & G
- Mentions: None
- Commentary: This movie was given to us by a friend who is interested in politics, clearly remembers the 1960's (better than me, actually, since I went through a somewhat different 60's experience on Guam) and was sure she'd love the movie. She picked it up at Costco, where it was being sold with a free copy of a biography of RFK. She was completely disappointed in the movie, although not in the book, but said she wouldn't read it again and passed that off to us, too.
Mom only sat through half the movie. I watched all of it. I understand what Estevez did in the movie and think he accomplished his goal, but I also understand why the critics were so divided on this movie. If I'd rented the movie, I'd've made a mental note not to buy it, even though many of its moments have stuck with me. I felt cheated that a lot of it was fictionalized...it seemed to me there was little to no reason to do this. However, I also found the vignettes involving and many of the performances excellent (I especially liked the vignette with Helen Hunt and Martin Sheen). Interesting and effective splicing of actual newsreel footage, too, although, frankly, The Queen does this better and more effectively.
I don't think this is a movie that, on a second attempt at watching, Mom would discover she enjoyed. It isn't one I expect to watch again, at least not soon. I may add it to our ever expanding pile of movies for trade-in. I'll probably read the book, although I may not get around to it until after Mom dies.
Update 5/21/2022: By the way, this cast is so loaded with stars that some of them aren't even mentioned in either Wikipedia, or IMDb. Sidney Poitier for instance. This is the reason I used the particular capsule review that I attached to the title of this post: it mentions Sidney Poitier's involvement in the film, whereas no one else did.
At any rate, I never question why a movie was made. Someone involved in its creation always has a reason. I do, however, often question why a movie was released. This is one of those questionable movies. I can only "blame" the star power behind it. And, believe me, there is so much blame to be had that the movie deserved an overwhelming star list in order to smooth the blame a bit thinner. I can't imagine that it was hard to solicit so much star power, either. Actors are, if nothing else, eager to participate in something that promises high visibility. Unfortunately, it was a promise that didn't deliver.
Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Actor Role Harry Belafonte Nelson Joy Bryant Patricia Nick Cannon Dwayne Clark Emilio Estevez Tim Fallon Laurence Fishburne Edward Robinson Dave Fraunces Robert F. Kennedy Jeridan Frye Ethel Kennedy Lindsay Lohan Diane Howser Anthony Hopkins John Casey William H. Macy Paul Ebbers Demi Moore Virginia Fallon Martin Sheen Jack Helen Hunt Samantha Stevens Sharon Stone Miriam Ebbers Elijah Wood William Avary Shia LaBeouf Cooper
Here's a link to the Wikipedia write-up of the film.
Release Date: 2006
Directed by Emilio Estevez.
Labels: anthony-hopkins, docu-drama, historical3, laurence-fishburne, period3, political3
