A Vote For "Bobby"

Quote of the day:
“As a novelist, I tell stories, and people give me money. Then financial planners tell me stories, and I give them money.”
--Martin Cruz Smith

Quote of the day no. 2:
“I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room.”
--George Bush

The movie “Bobby” was roundly trounced by the critics when it was released last year. Too bad, because I enjoyed it.

It does two things well. First, it shows a snapshot of 1968--the culture, music, look and politics of the time. I was a teenager at the time, but this film really took me back. I was reminded how chaotic and divided we were. And how the culture was quite different from today.

Second, the film provides a compelling reminder of Robert Kennedy’s vision, and why so many people were yearning to be close to it.

Conservative entertainers dismissed this film as propaganda about a flaming liberal written and directed by the son of a flaming liberal. That’s unfortunate, because it has something to teach all of us about America’s purpose and ideals.

Emilio Estevez (who, thanks to his proximity to his father Martin Sheen, certainly must be at least a smoldering liberal) worked on “Bobby” for six years. He shows a great sensitivity for the feeling of the time.

Many characters, both fictional and fictionalized, are portrayed in the film, and the film is set up to be mostly about them. Unfortunately, the film does not do a good job of exploring any of these characters. It’s unclear why a few of them are even in the film.

But the film does work when seen as a sort of 1968 pastiche rather than an in-depth portrait. And hearing Kennedy’s eloquent (and non-partisan) words in 2007 was both moving and refreshing.

It’s worth renting “Bobby.”