Jackie (2016)

User Review

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  TheMovieDiorama

  8 / 10

  Jackie might just be Natalie Portman's classiest performance. Black Swan still remains her best film by far, but there's something alluring about her role in this. The accent, the mannerisms, the sheer amount of class...it's yet another transformative performance. Focussing purely on the aftermath of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, it follows the First Lady as she reflects on her horrific past to a reporter. We experience her struggle for personal grief whilst being in the eye of the public. Clearly Jackie Kennedy was an empowering individual and rather admirable. She could've easily snapped and had a complete breakdown, but her classy demeanour exceeded this. She was constantly in control of herself. She had to be, for her children and for herself. With such a powerful and emotive individual, we needed one of the best actresses working today. Yes! Bring in Natalie Portman. Absolutely phenomenal. I haven't seen La La Land at the time of this review, but I honestly doubt Emma Stone was able to better this. Portman became Jackie Kennedy. It wasn't just copying her and mimicking her personality. I wasn't watching Portman, I was watching Kennedy. It's a film that is entirely dependant on that central character, thankfully it works. Fortunately the film's runtime is short and sweet so it rarely drags. There are a few scenes that are perhaps prolonged too much, including the funeral procession itself. For the most part, the pacing is good. Not a big fan of the typical biopic setup of the character being interviewed in order to create the narrative. Slightly uninspired. The supporting cast assisted in boosting Portman's performance. Sarsgaard and the late John Hurt being the standouts. I adored the inclusion of real footage and recordings, made the experience far more authentic. The usage of traditional film cameras also felt vintage, no need for IMAX or anything like that. It's a personal and intimate story that doesn't require advanced technology. One of Portman's best.

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