Rating of
2.5/4
Somber if a tad slanted political drama
Indyfreak - wrote on 08/22/18
A well acted yet slightly polemical dramatization of Ted Kennedy's (Clarke) fateful accident in 1969 which led to the death of a young aide (Mara). It does not shy away from showing the sketchier side of the Kennedys' efforts to keep their image clean during the resulting media circus. Which brings us to the film's potential biases.
There remain details unknown about how the car crash caused Mary Jo's death. The film does try to balance out historical accuracy with its own imagination carefully. And yet, its depiction of Ted Kennedy for most of the film paints him in a bad light as a weak willed indecisive buffoon.
It's hard to judge the film as fair-minded when it lacks nuance in its depiction of the central character. Nevertheless, Jason Clarke does well with what little he's given. And it is always good to see Ed Helms in such a dramatic role for once as his conflicted consultant.
