Set mostly in the immediate aftermath of JFK’s assassination, Jackie is showcase for a great performance by Natalie Portman but otherwise it feels mostly a little underwhelming.
Portman portrays the ex-first lady as someone who is not only trying to cope with her huge loss but also as someone trying to understand her place in the world following her sudden loss. Portman, with her mannered speech, is highly convincing but Jackie is seen as a hard person to warm to, even taking her grief stricken state into account. Her continual changes of mind regarding her husband’s funeral start to become annoying after a while, and the book-ending of the film with scenes of her being interviewed feels like a hackneyed way of portraying the story.
As well as Portman, there is some good work Peter Sarsgaard as Bobby Kennedy and an excellent cameo from the late John Hurt as a priest she confides in. In many ways, though, the most impressive thing in the film, is Mica Levi’s unusual and unsettling score. Otherwise, the film feels like it is a little too by the numbers.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10