I know this month’s big movie seems to be Jim Halpert’s A Quiet Place, but I chose my favorite movie of the month as John Curran’s Chappaquiddick. It’s a movie on a smaller scale, showing a plot more grounded in reality… because it actually happened. In 1969, Senator Ted Kennedy (Jason Clarke) crashed his car off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, killing campaign strategist Mary Jo Kepchne (Kate Mara) in the process. John Curran’s film shows everything from the crash itself to Kennedy’s public address the following Friday, highlighting how much damage control was done on Kennedy’s behalf by a staff of lawyers his father (Bruce Dern) hired.
There are so many aggravating facts about the crash and what’s even more infuriating is that some questions are never answered. No one has ever been able to say how Ted Kennedy removed himself from the wreckage nor is anyone able to explain why he waited over 8 hours to report the crash to the police. There’s a tricky timeline, narrated in three different ways: one from Kennedy and his lawyers, one from the police investigating the crash, and one shown on film in numerous flashbacks. It’s aggravating when you see how Kennedy’s lawyers intervened in the process of the autopsy and when you realize they tried to portray Kennedy as another victim of the crash. It’s aggravating when the lawyers send one of their own to run interference at the Kepchne’s house as they mourn the loss of their daughter. What’s even more aggravating and confusing is when you learn Kennedy was re-elected to the Senate even after admitting his role in Kepechne’s death. In fact, he was in the Senate for 40 more years. Kepechne is portrayed by Kate Mara, whose final scenes are absolutely heartbreaking. I admit shedding a few tears as she said her last lines.
So, after watching flashbacks of Kepechne drowning, I certainly didn’t want to feel any sympathy for Kennedy, but as the film continues, Jason Clarke forced me to for a few minutes. Clarke portrayed Kennedy as an extremely vulnerable man, whose whole life has been controlled and overshadowed by his famous brothers. You heart nearly breaks when his scenes with his father play out on the screen, as it’s clear he has only ever wanted his father’s approval. But then you snap back to remember what happened and you realize he doesn’t deserve it.
The real break out star of the movie is Ed Helms, who plays Kennedy’s cousin. Helms, known mostly for his comedic roles, steals the spotlight from his other co-stars. He plays the voice of reason, pleading with his cousin to tell the entire truth about what occurred. He is the character you feel the most sympathy for, because it’s clear from his actions and dialogue he has spent his entire life being loyal to a family who has asked too much of him.
The Kennedy family seemed to have a curse that followed them throughout the 20th century, and Ted Kennedy was no exception to this. After watching Chappaquiddick, I found myself falling deep into the Wikipedia rabbit hole and becoming more and more fascinated with the family. If you’re into true crime and scandal, Chappaquiddick is the right pick for your next trip to the theaters.