Director: John Curran
Cast:
Jason Clarke – Ted Kennedy
Kate Mara – Mary Jo Kopechne
Ed Helms – Joey Gargan
Bruce Dern – Joe Kennedy Sr.
Jim Gaffigan – Paul Markham
Summary:
“Chappaquiddick” is the true story of the event that occurred in 1969 at Chappaquiddick Island involving Ted Kennedy that resulted in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, a former campaign strategist for Robert Kennedy. Directed by John Curran, “Chappaquiddick” examines the aftermath of that fateful incident and how it affected Kennedy after. Jason Clarke portrays Ted Kennedy and his performance was excellent. His physique and accent are spot on while his dramatic moments further elevate the film. Standing toe to toe with Clarke is Ed Helms as Kennedy’s cousin and close advisor, Joey Gargan. Helms commits to his performance just as Gargan commits to helping Kennedy cover up the accident. Kate Mara’s Mary Jo Kopechne is the subject of the film and her tiny amount of screen time was noteworthy as it impacted Kennedy heavily. Bruce Dern makes a brief appearance as Joe Kennedy Sr. and his appearance opposite Jason Clarke granted an opportunity for Clarke to deliver an excellent monologue. The scandal side of the film was intriguing because of the lack of logical thinking. Kennedy and his team continuously make bonehead mistakes and the farther down the rabbit hole he goes, the more absurd the theatrics become. It’s unfortunate that he got off without any real punishment. That’s the sad truth about American politics. We are dependent upon the wealthy and famous no matter the cost. “Chappaquiddick” is a captivating retelling of a dark moment that would change the life of Ted Kennedy forever and showcases Jason Clarke’s finest performance to date.
Score: 3.8/5
Wells Reviews 