Bobby
Monday, April 23, 2007
4.5 GOOMBAS
Bobby. Such a simple nickname for such a remarkable person. Rather than remembering him as a prestigious "Robert," people remember him as Bobby. He was everybody's friend, neighbor, and confidante. He fought for you, for your rights and your pride. Bobby would help you because he knew who you were. He was just like you, so you called him Bobby, just as you would nickname a close friend.
This was what Robert Kennedy was to the American people during a time when the country was angered over the Vietnam war, empowered by the Civil Rights Movement, and divided over idealistic values. "[There's] nobody left but Bobby, nobody" said Dwayne. At least, that's what the film tells us.
Emilio Estevez wrote and directed Bobby, the story of Senator Robert Kennedy's assassination. Although the overlying plot is of the shooting, the full impact of the tragedy is only absorbed through the surrounding subplots of 22 people and what they were doing/thinking on that day. This was not the world of the 1950's where the economy was booming, where men and women focused on having the perfect family, where teenagers hung out at the local diner. This was a time of rebellion and awareness. Surrounded by war and oppression, things that were shielded or brushed under the rug in the innocent/oblivious 1950's was ignited and fueled during a time when people were losing faith in their leadership. Estevez used 1960's archetypes to illustrate these ideas and show how the United States lost one of its greatest hopes.
I loved the use of real footage of Robert Kennedy, and how it was spliced seamlessly into the movie. Not to mention that the last 15 minutes of this film were edited so dramatically that it gave me goosebumps. A perfect montage to culminate such a pivotal moment in history.
Some criticized this film for its unnecessary subplots. Most of the characters never meet, and many of them aren't directly affected by Kennedy's death. Or are they . . .? Aren't we . . .? I believe that every single character was vital to this movie's theme and overall message. There was a time in our history when the country wanted to change the world and then lost its only hope.
Bobby. Such a simple nickname for such a remarkable person. Rather than remembering him as a prestigious "Robert," people remember him as Bobby. He was everybody's friend, neighbor, and confidante. He fought for you, for your rights and your pride. Bobby would help you because he knew who you were. He was just like you, so you called him Bobby, just as you would nickname a close friend.
This was what Robert Kennedy was to the American people during a time when the country was angered over the Vietnam war, empowered by the Civil Rights Movement, and divided over idealistic values. "[There's] nobody left but Bobby, nobody" said Dwayne. At least, that's what the film tells us.
Emilio Estevez wrote and directed Bobby, the story of Senator Robert Kennedy's assassination. Although the overlying plot is of the shooting, the full impact of the tragedy is only absorbed through the surrounding subplots of 22 people and what they were doing/thinking on that day. This was not the world of the 1950's where the economy was booming, where men and women focused on having the perfect family, where teenagers hung out at the local diner. This was a time of rebellion and awareness. Surrounded by war and oppression, things that were shielded or brushed under the rug in the innocent/oblivious 1950's was ignited and fueled during a time when people were losing faith in their leadership. Estevez used 1960's archetypes to illustrate these ideas and show how the United States lost one of its greatest hopes.
I loved the use of real footage of Robert Kennedy, and how it was spliced seamlessly into the movie. Not to mention that the last 15 minutes of this film were edited so dramatically that it gave me goosebumps. A perfect montage to culminate such a pivotal moment in history.
Some criticized this film for its unnecessary subplots. Most of the characters never meet, and many of them aren't directly affected by Kennedy's death. Or are they . . .? Aren't we . . .? I believe that every single character was vital to this movie's theme and overall message. There was a time in our history when the country wanted to change the world and then lost its only hope.
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