“Jackie”

She has gone on to produce wonderful work in a number of movies to include her Oscar winning performance in “Black Swan” and her lesser known Oscar nominated role in “Closer” in 2004.

“Jackie” is not a biography of Jacqueline Onassis Kennedy, but rather a close up look at her in and around the hours and days surrounding her husband’s assasination.  Much of it takes place as we eavesdrop on an interview with an unnamed journalist played well by Billy Crudup.

Portman obviously spent an unbelievable amount of time studying any available footage of the late First Lady.  Of particular interest is a televised tour of the White House conducted by Mrs. Kennedy.  The director, Chilean Pablo Lorraine, cleverly recreates this tour featuring black and white video with Ms. Portman brilliantly portraying Jackie Kennedy.

Kudos to the wonderful John Hurt who shines as an elderly Catholic priest who Mrs. Kennedy consults.   I did not recognize him and had to wait for the credits!  I remember him from superb performances in “The Naked Civil Servant” (1975), “Alien” (1979) and “Elephant Man” (1980).  Perhaps that’s why I had trouble placing him!

The supporting cast is solid with Peter Sarsgaard as Bobby Kennedy, wonderful Greta Gerwig as her assistant, Nancy Tuckerman and look alike Caspar Phillipson as JFK.

Having said that, this film belongs entirely to Natalie Portman.  She is astonishing in every way.  She is Jackie Kennedy, at least to the degree any of us ever got to know her.  Blending actual footage of those terribly sad days and moments with footage to recreate what may or may not have happened, Director Larrain has created a beautiful if sad biopic.

I was sitting in my Senior Math class, a junior in high school on that fateful day.  The news was piped in via radio through the school’s PA system.  Ironically, John F. Kennedy dedicated the opening of that very school in Western Massachusetts while serving as a United States Senator in 1957.

For a few hours Mr. Larrain along with the gifted Ms. Portman transports us back to relive a time of national and personal mourning.

Look for Ms. Portman to garner another Oscar nomination.