Chappaquiddick

Chappaquiddick – From The Depths Engrossing re-telling of some of the unseemly events that led to the death of Mary Jo Kopechne and yet another Kennedy family whitewash, this time, of its youngest son Edward Kennedy. While he may have lost some credibility over this monstrous cover-up, it seems he still shamefully allowed money and political lust for power to triumph over justice. The producers, writers Allen/Logan, and director John Curran (The Painted Veil ’06) don’t shy away from too many facts (but maybe don’t address all) and certainly have a penchant for shining more light on this sordid show of political skulduggery. Performances are very good with Bruce Dern in the physically limited role of J.P. Kennedy Sr. who says it all with his eyes and sharp movements. The backroom Democrat power brokers are included, among them, the suspect (then Secretary of State) Robert McNamara perfectly portrayed by Clancy Brown - along with Speech writer Ted Sorensen, all pulling strings to concoct as convincing an alibi, of bravery-from-cowardice, as was shamelessly sold to the American public. Ted’s cousin Joe Gargan, unsuccessfully attempted to convince Kennedy to admit the truth but these manufactured lies, managed to get Ted many years in office - while it appears Mary Jo’s parents were paid off for their silence. The production design, cinematography, and music score all produce an eerie atmosphere, underpinning the sleazy situations being presented (and hidden) in the sickening world of our most powerful players. There’s an excellent line attributed to Joe Gargan, in response to Ted playing down his own shortcomings by drawing attention to other famous people’s flawed personalities, citing; “Even Moses had a bad temper” with Joe responding; “Moses never left a dead girl under the Red Sea”. This production has a measured pace and while it leaves some questions unattended, still tells an important tale.