Parents' Guide to Jackie

This intense drama is a must see, not just for history buffs, but for anyone who wants to understand what mourning and the stewardship of an important but complicated legacy is like. Jackie tells a well-known story in a new way by adjusting its focus. Rather than putting the spotlight on the assassination's weight on the country as a whole, it centers on a woman, her children, and her struggle to make sense of a loss that doesn't just feel historic but also deeply personal.

Director Pablo Larrain creates a movie that's both lyrical and arresting, as well as a stunning exploration of grief brought to life by Portman. Her face is a canvas of ever-changing emotions as she struggles with rage, heartache, confusion, fear, and love. And Larrain adds depth to an already complex tale by refracting Jackie's story through the prism of a journalist. At first the interview-with-flashbacks device feels worrisomely artificial, but in the end it helps give voice to larger questions about legacy (questions that's also been explored in the Broadway hit Hamilton): Who lives, who dies, who tells your story? Who's in charge of your narrative? Jackie isn't a perfect film, but it perfectly captures the messy power of grief and United States' challenges as it cycles from one administration to the next, from periods of prosperity and triumph to struggles and dissent, always cast against the almighty backdrop of history.