Solid performances and a perceptive script give viewers an insight not only into the lives of the Kennedys, but also into the goings-on behind the social mores of American political life. It’s an eye opener as we discover the determination and sometimes ruthlessness of those who would be king. The presidency gets a further black eye with the implication that JFK was a womanizer and others were responsible for his successes. For example, Kennedy was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for his authorship of Profiles in Courage. But according to this production, it was mainly written by Jackie and the award came after Joe Kennedy got a friend to lobby the Pulitzer committee. And unlike Abraham Lincoln, Mr. Kennedy had assistance with all those memorable speeches.
While civil rights was beginning to be addressed and the threat of nuclear war was as near as Cuba, three tragic assassinations forever changed how America would perceive itself. “Jackie” reminds us of the upheaval in the American way of life during this time, and the great sadness that accompanied social progress. Not only is this a dynamic look at one woman’s life, but a valid portrait of American culture during the 1960s.