This Historical Drama About a Kennedy Tragedy Was Unfairly Overlooked – Armessa Movie News

With a presence in American politics since 1895, the Kennedys remain one of the most well-known families in the nation’s history. Despite their ongoing prominence, however, the family has been beset by many personal tragedies dating back to the mid-20th century. Some have even surmised that a curse hovers over the Kennedy legacy, including Ted Kennedy who, in 1969, was involved in a tragic incident on Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.

48 years later, director John Curran brought the story to the silver screen with Chappaquiddick. Featuring a stellar ensemble including Kate Mara, Ed Helms, Jim Gaffigan, Bruce Dern, and Jason Clarke as Kennedy, the 2017 film recounts what transpired before and after the senator drove his car off a bridge and into a tidal pond. Sensitively crafted and powerfully acted, Chappaquiddick offers an intimate glimpse into the personal tragedy and political fallout surrounding a notorious event in American history.

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What Happened on Chappaquiddick Island?

While vacationing in Martha’s Vineyard on the night of July 18, 1969, Ted Kennedy was visiting with friends and political aides. Included in the group were the so-called “Boiler Room Girls,” six women who worked on Bobby Kennedy’s presidential campaign the year before, and among them was 28-year-old Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara). After spending the night drinking and socializing, Kennedy and Kopechne left the party in his car, and on the way to nearby Edgartown, Kennedy lost control of the vehicle while crossing the narrow Dike Bridge, plunging nose-first into Poucha Pond. Though he managed to escape, Kopechne didn’t and ultimately died.

Roughly 10 hours after the accident, the car containing Kopechne’s lifeless body was retrieved. No autopsy was performed, and drowning was determined to be the official cause of death, although some have argued for another possibility. Based on the position in which he discovered her body, rescue diver John Farrar maintained that Kopechne likely survived for some time in an air pocket, claiming, “She didn’t drown. I know she suffocated when her oxygen ran out.”

Accounts vary as to exactly what transpired after Kennedy’s car went into Poucha Pond. According to the senator, who waited several hours to report the incident to authorities, he made multiple attempts to save Kopechne in the accident’s aftermath, also enlisting the help of his cousin, Joe Gargan (played by Ed Helms in the film), and close associate, Paul F. Markham (played by Jim Gaffigan). According to People, Kennedy would later claim he didn’t immediately notify authorities because “I was overcome, I’m frank to say, by a jumble of emotions: grief, fear, doubt, exhaustion, panic, confusion, and shock.” Though he hesitated to report the accident to the police, he did make several phone calls to family members, advisors, and lawyers.

How Historically Accurate Is ‘Chappaquiddick?’

Though questions about what took place on that fateful night will likely never be answered, John Curran’s film achieves a detailed level of authenticity through available information. But Chappaquiddick doesn’t take a simply forensic approach to putting a timeline together. Basing their screenplay on a 1,000-page document from the Massachusetts Judicial Supreme Court, writers Andrew Logan and Taylor Allen deftly balance historical fact with dramatic interpretation, adding a level of mystery and suspense that sees the film occasionally border on political thriller territory. As Curran notes, “The two people who really know what happened that night are dead: Ted and Mary Jo,” and Chappaquiddick‘s presentation of events is at the mercy of individual, subjective testimony. Since no one can be certain of exactly what happened and when, the film paints with broad narrative and thematic strokes, posing moral questions regarding the nature of political power, media manipulation, and accountability.

Jason Clarke Leads an Impressive Ensemble of Actors in ‘Chappaquiddick’

Largely known as a versatile character actor in supporting roles, Jason Clarke’s leading turn as Ted Kennedy is among his finest. He eschews a one-dimensional approach and instead plays Kennedy with moral ambiguity and contradiction. It’s an understated yet effective performance, offering a nuanced take on Kennedy that leaves room for empathy despite a temptation to pity or judge. Though Chappaquiddick could have easily served as a damning indictment or unintended defense of the legacy senator and his actions, Clarke avoids the trappings of such a black-and-white approach to a character with shades of gray, and at the center of his portrayal is the paradoxical struggle between hubris and crippling self-doubt.

Surrounding Jason Clarke is a stellar ensemble, with Ed Helms and Jim Gaffigan playing against their typically comedic sensibilities in favor of dramatic flair. Bruce Dern, uttering just one sinister word while on screen, proves memorable as Joseph Kennedy Sr., bringing familial drama to the fore of the film and highlighting the bitter, resentful tension between the patriarch and his youngest son. And though her time on screen is limited, Kate Mara honors Mary Jo Kopechne’s memory with a sensitive, soulful portrayal of a woman who’d largely been relegated to the sidelines of her own tragic story.

Why Was ‘Chappaquiddick’ Overlooked Upon Release?

Released just months after the #MeToo movement gained significant momentum, Chappaquiddick shines a light on contentious relations between men and women with regard to power dynamics. No doubt a powerful figure with his connections in politics and social circles, Ted Kennedy’s avoidance of legal consequences is a clear-cut example of the kind of privilege and access elitists are afforded, highlighting the differential treatment between those with influence and those without. Director John Curran commented on his film’s relevance to modern social dynamics by telling Smithsonian magazine, “It’s imperative that we take a pretty hard, unvarnished look at our heroes these days. The time is done to let all these guys skate by. I think if this story happened now, it would overshadow the moon landing.”

Despite the historical appeal, thematic relevance, and overall strengths via performance and storytelling, Chappaquiddick was largely overlooked upon release. Though it received generally positive reviews, the film was not a box office draw, likely due to younger generations of moviegoers’ lack of familiarity with its subject. But it remains a film of undeniable power and craft, taking viewers through a tragic incident that serves as a microcosmic examination of broader implications regarding political scandal, public perception, and application of the law.