RFK (2002)

Great Film overall

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

Fanciful, disturbing, and wildly original, it announces the arrival of a fresh, bold voice in American cinema.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I'm fascinated by the Kennedy family ( to the point of reading over sixty books, having several vintage magazines, and collecting everything I can find ), and if this movie was anymore factually inaccurate, it'd be a Harry Potter film.They show RFK as a schizophrenic nitwit who only sailed along on JFK's coattails, and saying he believed MLK was a Communist ( even when it's known that J. Edgar Hoover was pushing JFK & RFK to bug MLK's home because of Hoover's vendetta ), claims he was obsessed with his brother's flight jacket ( when in reality, he carried it but also lost it several times, which has been noted like a burden - constantly carrying it but also wanting to get rid of it subconsciously ), and suggests LBJ wanted RFK as a running-mate ( when it's known that LBJ & RFK despised each other ).This deserves to be up next to "Gigli," and far, far away from the Kennedy name.

In today's world the words of Bobby Kennedy could not be more prescient. This movie plays around 4 major speeches and is bookended by the death of JFK and RFK's himself. There are a few clunker moments (Martin Donovan as an uninspired JFK), but Linus Roache's portrayal of RFK is remarkable and James Cromwell's LBJ so much more of the essence than Gambon's in the HBO film, A Path To War. Roache received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. See this movie for that alone.

Very good TV movie that has a good all around production and cuts to the chase detailing the important events involving R.F.K. right after J.F.K.'s passing.The sets and costumes were nicely detailed and the cinematography was sharp.Could have been a masterpiece if it had a better cast and screenplay.But still for a TV movie,this one is a classic.Only for open minded historical drama fans and big fans of the Kennedy legacy......

I recall some of my college instructors speaking of being in the south during the civil rights marches to end segregation. They were very involved in the politics of the day. Of Robert F. Kennedy, I remember they told of his evolving after the death of his brother -- changing from a young, but somewhat out-of-touch, bureaucrat, to growing to be a more thoughtful, people-oriented observer -- evolving from an unquestioning hawk on international interventions, to being a leader mindful of sending young Americans to far away lands to kill and be killed.This TV movie, RFK, did fairly well in capturing Robert Kennedy's political evolution. The lead actor playing RFK looks remarkably like the real RFK -- specially when lit by a single hard light.Unfortunately, the final product was all too obviously a "made for TV" production. The background music was unremarkable. The editing-in of old footage to new footage was all too easy to spot. This RFK film is as bland as Oliver Stone's JFK is bold.With such lifeless story telling, the supporting actors had little chance to bring any dimension to their roles. When real-life characters are given little depth, it is better to let unknown actors portray them. The script is too often self-aware, too often knowing of what is coming ahead. At one point Robert Kennedy is seen giving a speech and as he speaks, he refers to himself in the past tense... "My favorite poet WAS..." not IS.Last, the script gives us RFK: the son, and RFK: the brother, but no time is given to deeply explore RFK: the father. The number of children Robert Kennedy fathered was extraordinary. His home life must have been very interesting. I am sure there will be a new telling of the RFK story before long.