The Kennedys (2011) User Reviews

Very Good

[Andreapworth · 8/10 · 15 November 2013]

I was 6, living in Dallas, when this occurred. I just remember my Mom on the phone saying "oh no, oh no". And she hadn't even voted for Kennedy.

I just know that whenever anybody visited Dallas after that, they ALL wanted to go to the school book depository, as well as the famous grassy knoll. Sometimes, they even wanted to go on to Parkland. Sigh.

One of our neighbors from church was also a Dallas policeman, and he was in charge of 'guarding' Mrs. Kennedy and then V.P. Johnson. He had a lot of quiet stories to tell.

I thought this 'film' handled Oswald well, as the loner that he was. I'm just glad that he was taken out of the picture early on.

Katie Holmes was great as the poor Mrs. Kennedy. Maybe without the 'finishing school' touch, but she was spot-on, as were the other actors, although I didn't think Rose Kennedy was well represented. Nor do I think the actor portraying Lyndon Johnson was a good choice. But maybe that's because I later went to school in Austin.

Again, not a nice memory for this city, for sure. But this 'film' handled Mrs. Kennedy's miscarriage well and showed it as the real turning point in their lives. So many movies have been made about this event. Speaking as a Dallas native, although a very young native, it left its mark on the city.

An engrossing story, well told

[Leofwine_draca · 8/10 · 5 September 2011]

A dialogue-driven, eight part drama miniseries charting the rise and fall of the Kennedy family in American politics. The main draw is JFK and the story of his ascendancy and eventual downfall, but it turns out the real star of the show is his father Joe, a character exposed as an utterly ruthless manipulator as the plot unfolds.

I'll admit that the first couple of episodes left me a little cold, depicting a bunch of characters it's difficult to care about at first. Once I was hooked, though, I was hooked, and Joe's hunger for power is every bit as engaging as that of Caesar or Henry VIII. Tom Wilkinson, still best known for his cuddly roles in the likes of THE FULL MONTY, is unrecognisable and outstanding in the role, a true test of his talent as an actor.

Greg Kinnear and Barry Pepper equally shine as the Kennedy brothers, each actor bringing likability to his part without neglecting the various character defects. Katie Holmes is uncanny as Jackie. The historical backdrop is well realised, with such dramas as the Bag of Pigs fiasco, the Cuban Missile Crisis and the civil rights struggle adding plenty of meat to the storyline, and I was alternatively gripped, disgusted, moved and surprised as the story reached its culmination. THE KENNEDYS is a piece of well-made drama and TV at the top of its game.

very good and terribly sad

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 1 March 2015]

The controversial 2011 miniseries "The Kennedys" was turned down by History Channel because it wasn't 100% accurate, as if anything that purports to tell a true story on film is 100% accurate. The truth is that the channel was pressured by its board members, many of whom were friends of the Kennedys, to turn it down. The History Channel in England managed to stoop to broadcast it, so something tells me, as my grandmother used to say, there was "dirty work at the crossroads." Speaking of which, this miniseries attempts to give us a realistic look at the Kennedy family, and it isn't too pretty. If this were about my family I'd try to keep someone from broadcasting it as well. And they didn't even give us the worst parts.

The beginning story centers around Joe Kennedy, a man who built his fortune with insider trading and had political aspirations which were dashed when he was pulled from his Ambassador job in England. He then focused on making his son, Joe Jr., the star politician, but when Joe was killed in the service, his hopes turned to Jack. According to this, he didn't think too much of Bobby. Yet in the series, Bobby actually emerges as a hero.

The focus is on these Kennedy men without much about the rest of the family, which was a criticism. But in order to do that, the miniseries would have had to be a maxiseries. It does touch on Rosemary, the mentally/emotionally challenged child who was institutionalized, and whom Joe arranged to have a lobotomy. The miniseries doesn't mention the last part.

There is no mention of Kathleen, nor would there have been, since her family cut her off when she became involved with a married man. When she died in a plane crash at the age of 28, her mother Rose, who did not attend her funeral, said that it was God's punishment for her being involved with a married man. In 1963, President Kennedy saw his sister's grave for the first time.

As far as Jack and Jackie, Jackie emerges as a woman very much in love with her husband, a man who made her unhappy most of the time with his infidelity. This was just something you were supposed to put up with, I guess. I believe there was a lot of love between both of them; and I believe that toward the end of his life, JFK became more and more impressed with her as a woman and realized how important she was to him. It's said that when he died, clippings about her were found in the top drawer of his desk.

Bobby Kennedy comes off as extremely aggressive, loyal, hardworking, a loving husband, and a family man. He was one who, in a way, had greatness thrust upon him and came to a tragic end as a result. Not mentioned is how much Ethel came to resent Jackie because after JFK died, she was calling Bobby for every little thing. One does see her doing this in the miniseries, though.

JFK's portrait is that of a thoughtful man who listened carefully to advice and didn't cave into the military, who wanted him to blow Cuba to kingdom come. The focus here is on the pain he endured from Addison's disease and various infidelities. We do not see a lot of his tremendous charm, his humor, and his great charisma.

The acting is uniformly excellent. I had some problems with Barry Pepper's accent, which I felt in the beginning wasn't organic but really put on. Greg Kinnear was amazing -- as usual, his performances are surprising and he's underrated as a result. If he doesn't sparkle enough as JFK, it's probably because it wasn't in the script.

The most brilliant performance is that of Tom Wilkinson as Joe, a powerful, controlling, ruthless man who let nothing stand in his way to get what he wanted. Wilkinson's real-life wife, Diana Hardcastle, is a marvelous Rose Kennedy.

Katie Holmes does a good job as Jackie, though she resembles Mary Tyler Moore a little more than the First Lady. She is nevertheless lovely and a sympathetic character. We're not really able to see her courage, but we can see what she went through in the White House. We also see that she was an amazing woman, classy and sophisticated, and a wonderful mother without it being beat over our heads. The assassination was well-handled with real documentary footage and no emphasis on gore.

Some of this film is verbatim from real events - Kennedy's speech in Dallas at the Chamber of Commerce, his televised report to America about the Cuban missile crisis, Bobby's speech in Los Angeles, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the White house meetings were verbatim as well, since those transcripts exist and were used in "Thirteen Days."

All in all, I thought this was very good; I read an expert's list of inaccuracies, and it was fairly short, having to do with whether or not Bobby and Jack discussed their sex lives with one another; whether Joe was pro-Hitler; and whether Joe kissed his secretary in front of Rose. The expert had that incorrect. In the film, Joe is kissing his secretary when Rose enters the room. It wasn't deliberate. Also the expert didn't know if Joe actually did have an affair with his secretary. Not that it would surprise me if he did. I do believe he had a great deal of respect for his wife, however, and would not have done anything to embarrass her.

I highly recommend this series. If the miniseries comes off like a soap opera, let's face it, the lives of the Kennedys were just that. Unfortunately their lives were all too real, and most of them paid a high price for their fame and ambition.

While not 100% accurate this is still a fantastic series full of amazing acting, a must watch even for non history buffs. I say A

[cosmo_tiger · 15 September 2011]

"Your name is Kennedy & Kennedy's never come second." The controversial mini-series passed on by the History Channel that shows the highlights of the life of JFK (Kinnear) and RFK (Pepper). Beginning with the family preparing for election night and following them, with flashbacks, until the assassination of Bobby. Being a huge history buff, and more specifically a Kennedy buff I was very much interested in this. When I saw Greg Kinnear and Barry Pepper playing the roles of Jack and Bobby I was excited to see them in this. I was not disappointed at all. While some of the events were not exactly as they happened (Joe finding out about the assassination for one) this is still a very good account of the life of the men. Being a mini series and so much to cover almost all of the events are glossed over quickly, (the Cuban Missle Crisis is begun and finished in 42 minutes) but the important aspects are in this. The acting is fantastic from everyone, and the casting is perfect, much like Jaoquin Phoenix in "Walk The Line" no make up (besides the hair) was used and you swear that Kinnear is actually JFK. I can see why the History Channel did pass on this series though in the fact that it's not 100% accurate, but this is very much worth watching. This can easily stand up to (and in my opinion surpasses) the "John Adams" series. Overall, a fantastic award worthy series. Both for the series and the acting. Biggest problem with awards will be who to give supporting award to...Pepper or Wilkinson. Watch this! I give it an A.

Would I watch again? - I will buy this.

*Also try - Thirteen Days

The best miniseries and dramatization of the Kennedy family

[Kingslaay · 10/10 · 28 March 2017]

The Kennedys is a first class look at the victories and tragedies of the iconic Kennedy family. The production, casting and dramatization of the Kennedy family and memorable events are beautifully captured on screen.

Over the course of 8 episodes the lives and challenges of the Kennedys are explored masterfully with intrigue and grandeur. The details and accuracy of great historic events surrounding the Kennedy family are well portrayed. From Jo Kennedy's involvement, Frank Sinatra, Sam Giancana and Marilyn Monroe. The style and musical soundtrack beautifully reinforced the drama and intensity of scenes. We are moved effortlessly through time and reflections by certain characters of past events.

Perhaps the strongest asset to this production is the cast itself. Greg Kinnear is very impressive as JFK and believable. Barry Pepper was brilliant in his portrayal as Bobby Kennedy. He immerses himself in the role from look, mannerisms and accent and 'is' Bobby. Katie Holmes is also great in her role as Jackie as she also looked the part and pays worthy homage to a great female figure. Special praise to Tom Wilkinson who was fantastic as Joe Kennedy and embodied a strong personality with ease, the main cast members hit it out of the park. One forgets and easily is taken into this great journey as a result of some great performances. I can and have re watched this masterpiece in television many times, highly recommended.

10/10

One of the finest productions I've ever seen on television

[lauralmhs · 10/10 · 10 April 2011]

The Kennedys, the 8-hour mini-series that just aired on ReelzChannel, was one of the finest productions I have ever seen on television.

I have always said about the tumultuous and tragic story of the Kennedys that even a fiction writer could not have fabricated it. This series took a saga that we all are already familiar with - at least for the most part - and synthesized it into a gripping drama. Moreover, points are brought out in the story-line that are downright eye-opening. In particular, Joe Kennedy Sr. comes across as a real S.O.B., someone who was utterly ruthless and who would stop at nothing to achieve his ends, and if this story WERE fiction, it would make for an epic cautionary morality tale. In all fairness, I must say that some of the scenes were so shocking in an ethical sense, I had to take them with a grain of salt.

Watching this program, it certainly comes to the fore that the Kennedy administration was so very much more than "Camelot." For such an "innocent" time, JFK was dealing with domestic and global issues that would make any man turn gray overnight. Not only was this series entertaining, but it served as a condensed history lesson, touching as it did upon topics such as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bay of Pigs invasion, the Berlin Wall, the civil rights movement, and the beginnings of the Vietnam War.

The acting here was nothing short of extraordinary. Greg Kinnear as the President was downright eerie to watch as he looked SO much like JFK. As for Katie Holmes as Jackie, I must say I have a new-found respect for her as an actress; she was perfection in this role. Barry Pepper in the role of Bobby Kennedy was an absolute revelation. And if Tom Wilkinson, who played Joe Kennedy Sr., does not win an award for his portrayal, it will be a travesty. The actresses who played Rose and Ethel were likewise excellent.

I am gratified that the assassination was handled with such tact. We did not need to see anything more graphic than we've already seen dozens if not hundreds of times.

My only complaint is that the legendary wit and charisma of JFK did not come across as strongly as I would have expected.

I was also left feeling utterly baffled as to why Ted Kennedy was completely absent from the story-line.

Kudos to the writers, to the make-up artists (who did an amazing, AMAZING job in making the actors almost indistinguishable from the real-life personages we know so well), the set designers who captured the period so accurately (right on down to the scene of Jackie smoking while pregnant with John Jr.; let's face it, we've learned a lot over the span of 50 years...), and most especially the actors who did such a superlative job with the look, accents and mannerisms of JFK, Jackie, Bobby and Joe Sr.

If The Kennedys doesn't sweep the Emmys, it will be a miscarriage of justice. Bravo to all involved in this magnificent production.

Just watched last episode of Kennedys

[keygroup · 7/10 · 1 May 2011]

Loved it!! You covered all the highlights - many we have only read about and not seen before. Details on political manoeuvring to get elected and to stay in office. Details on Hoover, Mafia, Mafia girlfriends, Cuba, segregation, Catholics, father issues. Well done by all actors! Katie Holmes nailed Jackie. Quiet,soft-spoken,intelligent, living in a difficult situation. Making the best of the times she was in. Very believable Sets were good. You covered all the controversial topics. In site into daughter Rosemary' limitations. Jack's many one night stands, and medical issues, drug dependencies. Too bad History Channel U.S. was pressured into not airing it.

Unique Look

[ajfloyd · 10/10 · 21 April 2011]

Finally a look at Joe Kennedy and how he influenced so much. His place in history is seen as it was for the most part. His ambition and influence used on his family to effect great events in US history is brought to life in dramatic fashion. Do not know of any other project out there that captures his Godfather like persona that he had. Very good drama. The life of the Kennedy's is unique part of history and it being captured like it was is a good look into the power and influence that existed during that time. Found it educational and entertaining. Putting history and entertainment together is difficult but this project succeeded in doing just that. Acting performances where sporadic. Some excellent and others weak. Worth seeing.

The Kennedys a Greek Tragedy in 8 Parts

[mcw6957 · 7/10 · 10 April 2011]

I think time has done a disservice to the truth regarding The Kennedy family so I no longer look at this as a factual occurrence but an actual mythology. I've watched numerous documentaries & read countless books as well as seen dozens of fictional celluloid re-tellings & I don't know what to believe & maybe that is precisely the point. There is no conspiracy or is there? Thankfully this mini series doesn't go all Oliver Stone on the viewer but instead grounds The Kennedys in a reality we can all understand. One filled with love betrayal & death. Thus making this adaptation immensely entertaining so long as you approach this as entertainment & don't try to connect the dots based on whatever you think you might know. Truthfully if you weren't a member of the Kennedy elite you cant possibly know the whole story. I wouldn't call this series a master piece because its a bit too soapy at times but there is a level of fascination knowing that at least at one point these characters were real people that continue to mystify us & capture our imaginations. Greg Kinnear & Barry Pepper as Jack & Bobby have a lot of chemistry & make me wonder why these guys aren't used more often. Tom Wilkinson is Tom Wilkinson nuff said. Katie Holmes is not my cup of tea but the vitriol thrown at her every performance make me nauseous. Shes not that bad in small doses.The Kennedys is an above average entertaining drama which like I said is best viewed from this one single perspective only.

A delightful miniseries, providing both entertainment, intrigue and insight to the daily life of The Kennedys.

[theonewithallthecontacts · 8/10 · 22 June 2013]

This miniseries of the Kennedy family was a joy to watch, all the way! First of all, the series covers a lot of controversial and exciting episodes in the 1960's: The Kennedy's campaign for election, Bay of Pigs invasion, Cuba Missile Crisis, civil rights for black people, the JFK assassination and parts of RFK's political campaign for election as President. Each story is handled intriguingly and insightful, yet maintaining the golden entertainment values. Parts of which, is because that the series is handled as a regular huge Hollywood production. The patriotic music playing in the background, excellent cinematography, amazing dialog, superb direction etc.

But the series doesn't just cover what happened in The White House during all of these escapades. It rather blends in with the daily life of the Kennedy's. And that's what we see: the daily life of the Kennedy's. I, for one, now has a far greater caricature in my head, concerning the personas of that generation of Kennedy's. Almost every personal conflict inside the family is handled, and with bravour!

The acting is all top notch! Greg Kinnear is the heart and soul of this series, having the weight of this series' fate on his shoulders. If he sucked, so would the series. Luckily, Kinnear is all out brilliant in this complex and controversial role of JFK, with everything considered down to the way he walks. I thought, that Kinnear really breathed the role of John F. Kennedy, disappearing into this ambiguous and public persona. Kinnear bears a physical resemblance to JFK, and his accent was very much alike, as well. Kinnear earned a very well deserved Emmy nomination for best leading actor! Barry Pepper surprises with his revolutionary performance as Robert F. Kennedy! He may not look the part a 100 percent, but he manages to recreate his accent very well! Pepper was a joy to watch on-screen, stealing absolute every scene he was in! He handled every emotional reaction with skill and a nice sense of human subtlety to it. For his role, Pepper fairly won the Emmy award for best leading actor! Tom Wilkinson as Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. was a tour de force in it's own right! With every scene Wilkinson seemed to give his absolute best, and it shows! His performance was amusing, heartbreaking, subtle, efficient and moving! Wilkinson earned an Emmy nomination for best supporting actor. Katie Holmes wasn't as good as the three former actors mentioned, in my opinion. Still, she looked the part of Jackie Kennedy quite much, and she showed the right kind of silence to her performance!

The reason this series only gets an 8/10, is because that some odd things was left out of production. First of all, I would have liked to have Ted Kennedy included, and behold the actor who could have hopefully exemplified in the role. Instead, Ted's only appearance is in the background as a small boy hearing his name getting mentioned. Second of all, an obvious historical escapade that was left out, was the moon race with the Soviets. Not even a mention there. That would have been more interesting than an episode, partly dedicated to JFK's apparent affair with Marilyn Monroe!

Overall, I found the series to be highly enjoyable and very interesting to watch.

8/10

A Capably Made and Entertaining History Series

[JoshuaMHetu · 7/10 · 25 August 2019]

"The Kennedys" is a competently produced and mostly entertaining series with terrific performances, realistic dialogue, and fine set design that convincingly evokes the time period of John and Robert Kennedy. The story is nothing new to those familiar with the Kennedys: after the death of his eldest son in World War II, New England patriarch Joseph Kennedy pushes his son John to become President of the United States. Along the way, John's fearless brother Robert and his enigmatic wife Jackie give him needed support as he campaigns for higher office and makes decisions that will forever change the course of history.

The TV series isn't entirely historically accurate: it does take liberties with certain details and embellishes relationships and events that in reality were less sensational. But I mostly didn't mind since this is a drama and not a documentary, and the changes made generally served the narrative. The story of the Kennedys has been brought to life in better, richer TV shows and movies such as "Kennedy" starring Martin Sheen and "Thirteen Days" with Bruce Greenwood. If you're interested in the Kennedys I recommend you watch those first, but "The Kennedys" does tell their story very well overall even if it doesn't really bring anything new to the table.

The four central characters are all complex and fascinating, and the actors (Greg Kinnear as JFK, Barry Pepper as RFK, Katie Holmes as Jackie, and Tom Wilkinson as Joe Kennedy) do a terrific job bringing these historical figures to life. In particular Barry Pepper is spellbinding as Robert Kennedy: he captures the intensity and the empathy that drove RFK all his life, and he exactly replicates Kennedy's appearance and speaking style without doing an impersonation. If nothing else I recommend watching the series for his performance alone. The costume design, sets, and music all do a terrific job of replicating the 1960s, and at no point in the series does anything feel out of place, fake, or less than authentic to the times.

The biggest complaint I have is that the series takes a downhill turn after JFK's assassination: the final episode, which focuses on the Kennedys after his death, is unfocused, sloppy, and skips over four years of riveting history from 1964 to 1968. Jackie is sidelined as a character and RFK comes across as too self-pitying and opportunistic. Because the series almost entirely ignores his service as a U.S. Senator, we don't witness his tireless work for the underprivileged or his painful indecision over whether or not to run for President in 1968. The finale was a missed opportunity to tell a compelling story, and overall it's a disappointing conclusion to the show.

If the series had ended with JFK's death, I'd rank it an 8/10. It's slick, well-acted, entertaining, and does a fine job of bringing such cherished American icons to life on the silver screen. It also manages to show the Kennedys' flaws while remaining respectful of their accomplishments and principles. But the finale just doesn't cut it, making the series an incomplete experience. 7/10.

I heart "The Kennedys"

[Alexjmalley · 10/10 · 4 April 2011]

There are so many things I can say about this mini-series. I just finished the first episode and I know the rest of the series is going to be grade-a fantastic. The writing is perfect, the casting is perfect, and the cinematography is fantastic. I don't think I could of picked a better crew/cast to betray America's greatest family. This has never been done before, a look inside the lives of all the Kennedys in their good times and bad. A lot of people attempt to pull off Kennedy accents and the whole cast nails it. I hope to see something happen after the end of this 8 episode mini-series. *Highly recommended if you're a fan of history, the Kennedys, and fantastic shows*

Well acted history lesson

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 September 2013]

This 8 episode mini-series that follows the much examined story of President Kennedy. There isn't much here that would surprise anybody. It's a well-mined section of history, and this series just follow the traditional road.

Although there are some in this that's not in the official records, it is already much discussed. And the situations aren't done in a salacious way.

What I like most about this series is the acting. Greg Kinnear and Barry Pepper are solid as the Kennedy brothers. Tom Wilkinson has the power of experience. But I was surprised most by Katie Holmes. She was just so well casted as Jackie.

Review of the Entire Miniseries

[lavatch · 3/10 · 10 April 2011]

For a number of years, I have taught a course on the JFK assassination at a major American university. I was extremely interested in "The Kennedys" miniseries, as its narrative follows the exact plan of the course I have taught, spanning the presidency of John F. Kennedy, the significant role played by Robert F. Kennedy, and the assassinations of the two brothers.

As it turns out, this review is mixed, and the major reservation has nothing to do with the prurient content or the portrayal of the personal flaws of JFK. The main problem is with the research that went into the teleplay, especially the treatment of the assassination of JFK.

To be fair, the miniseries was successful in its production values, especially in costume design. Visually, the film ranks alongside many of the fine HBO historical miniseries, including "John Adams," which I have reviewed on this website.

According to some media accounts, the script was prepared as a right-wing tract. This criticism is completely inaccurate, as "The Kennedys" takes great pains to point out how President Kennedy challenged the top brass at the Pentagon when the young president was pressured to ramp up the Cold War. The film also informs viewers how JFK personally appointed Abraham Bolden as the first African-American secret service agent, and did so against the ironclad will of a number of racist secret service agents. Bolden even becomes a recurring character in the miniseries to the very end of the film. Episode #6 gives more credit to JFK for a civil rights platform than partisan Kennedy historians have conceded. The portrayal of the presidency of John F. Kennedy in this miniseries was balanced and fair-minded, particularly in JFK's search for world peace at the height of the Cold War.

The acting in this film was not merely a surprise, but in three cases, a revelation. The three standout performers were Greg Kinnear as JFK; Tom Wilkinson as Joseph P. Kennedy; and Katie Holmes as Jackie Kennedy. (While Katie was unsuccessful in capturing the breathy voice of Jackie, this actress nonetheless had a luminous presence and uncanny physical resemblance to the iconic First Lady.) But the most memorable performance is that of Kinnear, who undoubtedly worked tirelessly on both the voice and physical mannerisms of JFK. If this film gains wider release, Greg Kinnear will eventually be credited with the performance of a lifetime.

The riveting performances were supported by a superb design team, with meticulous attention to hair styling and period wardrobe. Special kudos are in order for the production designer Rocco Matteo, along with the costume specialists. This film has the look of a feature film, not a television miniseries.

The principal downfall of the miniseries was in ignoring the facts about the assassination of JFK. The lack of research and apparent ignorance of the recent scholarship on the assassination were painfully apparent in this film. The majority of Americans still do not believe the findings of the Warren Commission. Inexplicably, "The Kennedys" recycled the same implausible scenario of Lee Harvey Oswald executing an impossible bolt-action shooting feat and doing so without a motive. Even Oswald's famous words "I'm just a patsy" were not included in the film's portrayal of the assassination.

How is it conceivable that the filmmakers would include SS agent Abraham Bolden in the film, and then completely ignore Bolden's book, "The Echo From Dealey Plaza"? In this memoir, Bolden recounts Secret Service complicity in the death of JFK. When Bolden attempted to testify before the Warren Commission, he was incarcerated, sedated, and isolated in a cell for years. It was not until 2008 that Bolden finally told his story. Such recent books as David Talbot's "Brothers", James Douglass's "JFK and the Unspeakable," and James Fetzer's "Murder in Dealey Plaza—What We Know Now That We Didn't Know Then" would have offered a template for the entire miniseries. These books are not propagating new assassination "theories," but offering hard evidence, including the use of modern forensic science, in which American citizens can learn what happened to our country on November 22, 1963.

As we are approaching the fiftieth anniversary of the death of President Kennedy, this miniseries had potential to seize the moment and provide millions of viewers with new perspectives on two extraordinary Americans, who gave their lives to the ideals of our country. This story is only complete with an understanding of the circumstances surrounding the deaths of these two great Americans. An entitlement of our future generations is to know the truth about their past. Unfortunately, the truth about the assassination was not high on the agenda of the writers and producers of "The Kennedys."

Wonderful - entertaining & enjoyable

[dulisney · 18 November 2011]

I have always been fascinated with the Kennedy family & over the years have read & seen so much about them. This series was wonderful - very entertaining & extremely well written. A lot has been said about the acting & I too was watching with a critical eye. I have to say the acting was excellent! I found myself totally engrossed in watching the story line which of course I know so well. I was captivated by how each & every actor was able to portray such a likeness to their real life character. This was indeed enhanced by the stupendous job by the make-up & costume department! Katie Holmes in particular had an extremely difficult role to play, but what an amazing job she did! I truly enjoyed this fabulous series!

The Real Tale of Camelot

[GaelicLass · 10/10 · 26 June 2011]

I finished watching all 8 episodes which I feel is a must to properly review a production. Trying to do it after only one episode is not fair to it.

That being said, I found this series very interesting and highly enjoyable, yet sad. I grew up in the 50's and well remember everything about the Kennedys, the myths and the truths. It is impossible to cram everything about this large family into just 8 hours, but this did a pretty good job with the main points. I don't feel they played that loose with the historical facts because it is impossible to know everything about what happened in the inner sanctum of that great family.

I do know that Greg Kinnear did a remarkable job as John, to the point where I believed he was truly John and had to remind myself he wasn't at times. Katie Holmes did a very good job with Jackie considering she was a private woman who was rarely seen outside of her official role, so not a lot of info for Katie to help her in her role. All we have is hearsay. The other stars with outstanding performances were Barry Pepper and Tom Wilkinson, with a very big nod to Diana Hardcastle as Rose Kennedy. I have seen Barry before and he is a fine actor and deserves an award for this role as do Greg, Tom and Diana.

This movie was not about conspiracy theories and trying to figure out who assassinated JFK. It hinted at several possibilities and left it at that. What it is about is a family that pulled together in difficult times and took care of each other, which can be a rare thing in these days. It showed their progressive values and the contributions they made to bettering this country and it was so sad that was cut short. I will never forget either of the days those men were assassinated. Watching it all over again was very difficult for me.

My only disappointment was that the only other family member shown briefly was the daughter with the disability. Ted Kennedy was never shown and should have been since it was called The Kennedys and he went on to do great things, but I suppose time restricted that and he was young in the time period this was set.

This movie did it's job of entertaining people and if you don't look at it as "well, history says this or that" then you will enjoy it. It is not meant to retell history but to try to put personality's into public figures and show the difficulties faced by a large political family, the good and the bad. The direction and writing were superb, as well as the cinematography and I liked the way they went back in time to fill in some blanks; made it more interesting to me. I would recommend this to anyone who is not nit picky or highly critical. It is not a documentary, but a mini series about a family, that's all. I found little to criticize about the history element since they skimmed over important events that I lived through and they were pretty accurate. Books can have their own spin on things to sell them, so may not really be accurate either.

I give this an 8/10. This was more like a theatrical production than a TV one.

This is as close to perfection as one can get-brilliant!

[karenrose-184-857996 · 10/10 · 14 October 2011]

It is well worth the time to view this mini-series & view it again. I watched it on t.v., on two different channels. Then, I was delighted to find it for sale on DVD at my local drugstore . I promptly watched it again. Due to the attention to detail par excellence in every aspect of this production, it DESERVES critical acclaim, and respect. Viewing the series and being able to see JFK and Robert as not just leaders, but as husbands and fathers, made me feel very very sad for them, and more empathy toward Jackie and Ethel and really the whole clan. The production showed the flaws or humanness of JFK, Robert, and especially their father. As people have stated, the acting from all actors was breathtaking. The makeup/hair, & costuming is impeccable. I would swear they ARE the true people. The sets were gorgeous-are you sure this isn't the Whitehouse and the Compound? I realize that the historical aspect of Dallas is complex. There is difficulty showing the entire story because no one knows exactly who caused JFK's death, and who is responsible. But the writer dealt with the most important facts such as the mafia felt crossed by the anti-mafia stance of JFK's administration. Dallas is obviously so important it was investigated and if someone wants more detail they should read the Warren Commission. Overall this series gave me more insight into the Kennedy family of the 50s and 60s. It also most importantly, emphasized how brutal and tragic circumstances were for John. F Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy. There are not appropriate words to express how sad and how wrong it was that their lives were taken. KR (ps I was born in 1969).

Unfulfilled potential

[Lejink · 6/10 · 10 January 2013]

The story of the Kennedy family has been likened to Greek Tragedy and so it was inevitable I suppose that a major TV network would attempt to tell the intertwining stories, although there's more than enough documentary footage available I would imagine for the serious scholar to take in.

This 8 part dramatisation therefore leans too close to soap opera for my taste with its manipulation of events, the most glaring example being the miraculous coincidence of JFK's slaying occurring at the exact moment his stroke-victim Svengali-type father gets up out of his wheelchair for the first time since his affliction. There also appears to be no such thing as a dramatic pause as every big moment is immediately filled with heavy-handed background music, unnecessarily sud-sing things up. Then there was the disjointed time-line employed, with the story going back and forward in time when surely the incidents depicted are so well known as to demand a linear structure. Finally, while I'm on the stump, I can only presume there were legal clearance reasons as to why significant figures like Frank Sinatra, Martin Luther King and especially Teddy Kennedy are conspicuous by their absences.

On the plus side, there are some good acting performances and once one forgives the actors playing such famous people not looking more like their prototypes, they at least master the distinctive Kennedy accents. Greg Kinnear perhaps wants a few inches in height but otherwise plays JFK well, right down to bearing his concealed-from-the-public back trouble, Tom Wilkinson is very good as the controlling despot Joseph Sr while best of all is Barry Pepper as the family lightning-rod Bobby. In the main female role Katie Holmes is perhaps too simpering as Jackie Kennedy but again Diana Hardcastle and Kristin Booth are very good as matriarch Rose and Bobby's wife Ethel respectively.The dialogue is well-written if stagy at times and the depiction of time and place accurately rendered.

The twin tragic endings of the two brothers are if anything understated, which was probably the best way to go, but other major incidents are treated with cinematic melodrama which didn't serve the story well in my opinion.

While it was a watchable mini-series, I feel it could have been improved if it hadn't had the whiff of "Dallas" about this tragic family dynasty, in more ways than one, sad to say.

With some flaws I love THE KENNEDYS!

[zozer2 · 8/10 · 7 April 2011]

After watching the first four of eight episodes of "The Kennedys", I understand (but I do not agree) why The History Channel did not want to broadcast it.

Is not that the miniseries is bad -in fact is gorgeous, intriguing and bold, and the characters are all well interpreted and almost physically cloned-, is the way the story is told.

In here we can see the dark side of Camelot: the men in the family are an unfaithful bunch of womanizers, the patriarch is a hideous, manipulative person and the Kennedy's women are beautiful and smart, but ridiculously submissive.

That is why I think the series almost did not saw the light, because they are not showing the glory of the family. But I really prefer to see them as normal human beings with errors and great accomplishments than a family of perfect saints.

Greg Kinnear as JFK, Katie Holmes as Jackie O, Barry Pepper as Bobby and Tom Wilkinson as Joe Kennedy Sr. are really the dream cast for this. Perhaps the production is not going to get any Emmys -because of the ups and downs of the production-, but the cast has very strong contenders, at least they deserve a nomination.

In here we see things like Jackie smoking (a lot) while she was pregnant with John Jr. –in those times smoking was not known as a healthy issue yet-, or Frank Sinatra doing business with the mobster Sam Giancana; but those are things that we already know and that add more spice and realism to the storyline.

Maybe is a little corny, maybe a lot 'soap opery' and a little historical inaccurate –some pivotal family members did not appear-, but really "The Kennedys" is a very well crafted and enjoyable production worth watching.

Well done, fictionalized depiction of historical events.

[twanted3189 · 7/10 · 7 April 2011]

This mini-series, while interesting and entertaining, need be viewed with an appropriate helping of salt in that there are great liberties taken in regard to "actual" historical events. While I have always had a great respect and admiration for Robert Kennedy, and the huge part he played in the Kennedy administration, that role is, I believe, vastly "overblown" in "The Kennedys". He is depicted as leading his "drug debilitated" brother through several National crises, which seem contrary to historic records of the time, and portray President Kennedy as weak and indecisive. I can see now why some have objected to this "Play" being broadcast on the History Channel, for fear it would be mistaken for a documentary instead of the work of fiction it is. Greg Kinnear was outstanding in his recreation of JFK as was Barry Pepper's RFK. I thought Katie Holmes' portrayal of Jackie to be weak and flawed however. Overall though, I thought "The Kennedys" a good movie, viewed for what it is; fiction.

A brilliant TV series unjustly trashed by the American left

[jfvirey · 9/10 · 20 July 2011]

I found "The Kennedys" to be a gripping retelling of the family life and political careers of John Fitzgerald and Robert Kennedy, and I am baffled by the smear campaign that the American left led against it, to the point of having it banned from U.S. T.V. screens (and the U.S. left is the party that is supposed consistently to oppose censorship and freedom of expression: think again.) "The Kennedys" does not try to destroy the Kennedys the way Hollywood usually seeks to destroy right wing icons: I had seen much more damning revelations in TV documentaries, and I am sure that the JFK that emerges from Seymour M. Hersh's "The Dark Side of Camelot" is much less glamorous and decent. The series is not filled with the kind of mockery and hatred that you will find in Oliver Stone or Michael Moore movies. On the contrary, despite the "warts and all" approach (JFK's adulteries and drug use are not whitewashed), it is very reverent, and gave me a greater appreciation of the Kennedys both as politicians and as human beings. In fact, though I am much more conservative than the average U.S. conservative, I would consider Bobby Kennedy as a truly admirable man, especially after seeing the series.

I think what the U.S. left objected to (under the guise of questioning the show's historical accuracy, as if they cared) was the positive depiction of Catholicism (in a moving scene, for instance, Bobby starts praying the rosary with his mother, and he is shown crossing himself in the main titles), the unsympathetic treatment of adultery (whose deleterious effects are not brushed over) and, most of all, the fact that the Kennedys are not portrayed as vague incarnations of "hope" (whatever that is) whose mystique can be used by unscrupulous modern demagogues ("Vote for me, I'm for hope and change, just like the glamorous Kennedys"), but as genuine people whose values are very far from being consistent with the current liberal agenda. As Catholics and cold warriors who still used the politically incorrect term "negro", the Kennedys become less docile to modern left-wing revisionism and appropriation.

Although I found the first episode a bit too stilted and "pedagogical" in a way that detracted from the drama, I was soon drawn in by the series. Greg Kinnear and Barry Pepper are brilliant as Jack and Bobby, and the rest of the cast are generally on a par with them.

SPOILER (?): The documentary "Marilyn: The Last Sessions" had made me believe that Bobby Kennedy had had an affair with Marilyn Monroe, but the series shows him manfully resisting the temptress's wiles. I thought they had been disingenuous on this point, but they appear to be right again, while the "documentary" (based on an "essay-novel") was wrong.

This is a series I highly recommend. As far as I can remember, it does not contain strong language, sexual scenes or gory violence, though it features a heavy amount of drinking, smoking and drug use.

Not bad

[andrewkerwincc · 7/10 · 14 April 2015]

The Kennedys was a decent show in my opinion. It was an interesting look on history as it didn't just focus on the president, JFK, but gave a look into him and his family which is an interesting dynamic. The acting was fantastic, and the resemblance that Greg Kinnear has to JFK is quite impressive. One complaint is when JFK was assassinated, this show just went along with the basic, somewhat unbelievable, story that was given in the Warren Report. I think it would've been cool is they branched off and put some conspiracy in to spice things up a bit. Other than that this series did a good job of telling the story of the Kennedys.

Excellent miniseries

[midge56 · 10/10 · 12 November 2017]

This is one of the best miniseries I've ever seen. It is right up there with John Adams and Thornbirds. I rarely give out 10 stars but this series truly deserves it. The DVD's can be found on Amazon.

The makeup and hairstyling was better than any film or series I've ever seen. In fact, Kate looked better than Jackie. It was also nice that we didn't have to suffer through overacting and ridiculous forced accents like we did with Martin Sheen on Kennedy. All the actors in this miniseries were so natural and looked so much like the real life persons, I forgot they weren't the real deal. Truly exceptional acting and natural makeup without prosthetics. Tom Wilkinson stole the show as Joseph Kennedy. The Kennedy early years was excellent about the son Joe & Rosemary. I wish we could have seen the others like Kathleen, Pat and Eunice. Teddy is shown in the sequel. But they forgot to include John John.

However, whenever there is a foreigner or foreign country involved in a true life historical show like the recent Jackie, (Canada in this case) they inevitably show Oswald as the assassin when all of us who were alive at the time know depict no one as the assassin and just the result... so the lie about Oswald doesn't PO the American Public. Oswald grates through us like chalk on a chalkboard anytime someone shows that ridiculous lie.

Then we had the BS with the fake history channel boycotting the film in the US. Read Wikipedia. I hardly believe Caroline's opinion carried that much weight. Especially since she wasn't even alive during the first part and a child during her fathers administration. So she wouldn't know the truth any more than Will and Harry really know how their mother Diana was killed.

There is nothing revealed about the Kennedy's or outside of what we know from news articles, so no surprises which should have upset the last of the original Kennedy family so I don't know why they tried to destroy this series before it was even cast or filmed. This was a deliberate premeditated attack before the filming script was even written.

Read about Operation Mockingbird if you want a real eye opener how our media has been controlled by the CIA. Think I'm kidding? Look it up. They recruited publishers, broadcasters and filmmakers in every major company to control what we see. People like Ben Bradlee and Katherine Graham of the Washington post and Newsweek. CNN, Fox, History Channel, A&E, etc. My brother was a CIA publisher. This is the real deal.

Read about Operation Mockingbird on Wikipedia and Ben Bradlee's obit to learn just how free and honest our press, broadcast news networks and filmmakers really are with the CIA involved. Allen Dulles, CIA director fired by JFK along with Charles Cabell and Richard Bissell, is the one who orchestrated the assassinations. Cabell's brother Earl was the Mayor of Dallas in 63. Notice how all the secret servicemen were all standing on the 2nd car following Kennedy and how Kennedy's driver slowed down when the shooting began. Bolton, Kennedy's protection was sent away to keep him out of Dallas and set up to silence & discredit him.

JFK's mistress Mary Pinchot Meyer was CIA like her ex husband & brother in Law Ben Bradlee who gave her diary to the CIA. Mary had been assigned to control JFK and his cabinet. Read about her on Wikipedia. She was murdered a year after JFK to silence her. The staged witnesses gave CIA safe house as their address and the other gave phony military identity as they tried to set up a scapegoat for her murder. Bradlee admitted to lying about the diary in his trial testimony. He was Washington post and Newsweek.

Dulles was put in charge of the Warren Commission by LBJ to mislead all of the evidence and testimony. Pres Ford & Arlen Spectre were also on the commission and Bush Sr coordinated from the CIA. Witnesses say their testimony was changed and completely altered. Why would LBJ appoint the fired CIA director Allen Dulles over JFK's assassination investigation unless LBJ was involved or knowledgeable of the complicity of Dulles and put him there to misdirect the evidence.

I loved this miniseries with the one exception about Oswald. I had to buy it on DVD due to the ridiculous boycott by History channel. So be sure to boycott them. Contact all their sponsors and tell them you will boycott any product which sponsors that network and A&E. I cancelled my service 5 years ago. Isn't it amazing how the UK History Channel aired this series and called it one of the best ever with nearly 3 million viewers there. We are the victims of propaganda and media control.

This is an excellent video. Highly recommended.

Historical Content

[libs555 · 6/10 · 5 April 2015]

I did not find this title very entertaining, but I did find it informative. It was interesting to me being able to see what I've learned in class acted out on screen in such a way. I can conclude that the goal of this television show wasn't to entertain but to inform, and I believe that it carried out its' purpose. Kennedy was always one of my favorite presidents but seeing this period in his life versus reading it or hearing it was a good experience for me. It probably also wouldn't be my first choice of something to watch on a Friday Night, but it is useful for those who are trying to get more information on Kennedy and his administration.

Nice try at best – watch Martin Sheen in "Kennedy" (1983) instead!

[mcpasztori · 3/10 · 15 January 2012]

At first, this looked as a thorough portrayal of the Kennedys and their historical impact. Unfortunately, it merely looked – due perhaps also to the History logo during the pilot episode. It disappeared later – and rightly so.

Without trying to be political in my assessment, it is obvious that the producers were keen to show the negative side of the Kennedys, giving credit to every infamous rumour about them (both founded and unfounded), including JFK, yet failing to ascribe him/them actions or achievements which influenced later events and human history in general.

I was surprised by the total omission of a key moment, i.e. when Allen Dulles, the almighty director of the CIA was deservedly fired by JFK after the Bay of Pigs fiasco, together with CIA deputy director, general Charles P. Cabell. Given the numerous trivial events presented, this omission can hardly be a mere mistake: both Dulles and Cabell bore plenty of grudge against JFK for the destruction of their careers to have a good motive to act against him. Instead, we are led to believe that only the Chicago mobster Sam Giancana may have fostered hatred towards the Kennedy administration.

And lo, the mayor of Dallas on 22 November 1963 was Earle Cabell, the general's brother, whilst Allen Dulles was called to be a member (!) of the Warren Commission to "investigate" the murder of the man he had hated most. We are still served the "lone gunman" myth, revived again by Vincent Bugliosi. By the way, folks: I actually read the complete Warren Report and all the 26 volumes of the Warren Commission Hearings, as well as Gerald Posner's Case Closed and Bugliosi's Reclaiming History. Actually, these two authors convinced me – much contrary to their intent – that there was a conspiracy to assassinate President Kennedy. Since the series was not about solving the assassination, they should have omitted the images with Lee Harvey Oswald and portray the event e.g. from the viewpoint of those sitting in the presidential limousine. It is simply ridiculous to see LHO drinking a Coke before the shooting, when he was seen buying one just a couple of minutes after it – only one example of a sloppy work of historical research. The people have had enough biased media-propaganda concerning these painful events.

Other crucial occasions which should have been presented to give us a fair depiction of who Jack and Jackie were and what they meant to the world: no mention of their truly triumphant travel to Europe, no real credit for Jackie's total conquest in France, her restoration of the White House to a glory it never knew before and since (although some of it was hinted at in passing), her tour in India and Pakistan, her exceptional language skills, humour, majestic behaviour and personal impact in key moments, including e.g. her speech in Spanish to console the anti-Castro Cubans released from Castro's prisons after the Bay of Pigs. As an Eastern-European citizen who had first-hand experience of what communism really was about, I could not believe that they actually omitted JFK's tremendously inspiring speech in Berlin, his famous comparison between the ancient pride of "civis Romanus sum" (I am a Roman citizen) and the contemporary pride "Ich bin ein Berliner" (I am a citizen of Berlin) – a still resounding message after half a century. My parents were clinging to these words for decades in our part of the world – how can filmmakers simply avoid such a magnificent moment?

There is hardly any mention of JFK's increasing support for Martin Luther King, although his backing of the civil rights movement is acknowledged. No mention of his stance against the moral lowliness of U.S. Steel to increase prices during a very delicate time for US economy. JFK, as most great men, had big flaws, but great achievements also, worthy of being remembered. Interestingly, most of the above events were masterfully presented in the "Kennedy" mini-series of 1983.

The acting was mostly all right, with Tom Wilkinson doing an excellent job as Joseph P. Kennedy. He is better than E. G. Marshall in the 1983 version, partly because of the differing portrayals of J.P. Kennedy in the two productions. I would almost say that Greg Kinnear was radiant in the role of JFK – if I had not seen and heard (!) Martin Sheen, who had set such a high standard regarding the Boston accent (!), pronunciation, speech pauses, movements and gestures of JFK, that it shall require a superhuman effort from any actor to at least equal his performance. The same goes for the comparison between Katie Holmes and Blair Brown: in the light of Jacqueline Kennedy's media appearances as well as her recently released audio tapes, Brown's performance was far closer to her real personality. John Shea was also far better playing RFK than Barry Pepper, although the latter's effort is laudable. And in 1983 they knew there was a Ted in the family! One last, and indeed painful comparison: do not watch Enrico Colantoni in the role of J. Edgar Hoover if you have seen Vincent Gardenia doing it in 1983! In all honesty, apart from Tom Wilkinson, every actor in this new series fell far behind their peers of 1983. It makes you wonder: did these producers actually watch that one?

All in all, if I had not seen the 1983 "Kennedy" series, which focused only upon JFK's time in office, I would consider rating this one with 5. Even so, by comparison, this new one, including historical accuracy, acting and directing, cannot make it higher than 3.5 – and I am being generous, the more so since these producers have shown elsewhere that they can do so much better. As a complete addict of "24", I would rather have preferred Jon Cassar and Joel Surnow to give us another 24 hours of Jack Bauer's fight against injustice than this average melodrama.