There's exactly one reason to watch this movie, and it's to see the phenomenal performance of Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy. She completely carries this movie, is in practically 99% of the whole thing, arguably gave the best acting job of 2016, and it's probably the greatest work of Portman's entire career. It's a heavy dramatic role with a lot of nuances that she masterfully tackles, and you won't be able to take your eyes off her. If I were to judge this movie solely on Portman's work, then this might just be the best film of 2016, but unfortunately that's not the case.
As directed by Pablo Larrain, the movie moves at a very deliberately slow and methodical pace, that jumps back and forth a lot between multiple time periods. It's also a little artistically indulgent in that it purposefully meanders around and feels aimless, as it tends to show us a lot of seemingly innocuous moments to emphasize Jackie's emotional state of mind. I get that the movie is giving us a very intimate and personal look into her life that surrounds the assassination of President John F Kennedy, but if you're looking for a straight drama that drives the narrative, this may just feel boring to you.
I'll have to repeat myself by saying that Natalie Portman is truly great in this, and despite my problems with the direction, I likely can recommend seeing it anyway just for her.
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