With sex scandals in the news, especially the one where Trump paid
some bitch to shut up, but she won’t, it is time to examine how to get
away with murder. Ted Kennedy did just that.
There’s a new, refreshingly unbiased film out about Ted Kennedy
called “Chappaquiddick.” It is about the infamous 1969 incident where
Kennedy drove his car off a bridge, which led to a lovely campaign
strategist named Mary Jo Kopechne dying either of drowning or
suffocation. It is not clear exactly how Ted escaped drowning, since
Mary Jo was locked in the car. Instead of rescuing Mary Jo or
reporting the incident when it happened, Ted sat on it for 10 hours
(for reasons no one really understands) before finally calling it in.
By the time he did, Mary Jo was dead and the cover-up begins.
The depiction of the accident is heart-wrenching and sad, but
where the new movie gets really interesting is in its depiction of the
cover-up. Half-brother Joe Gargan, played by Ed Helms, tries to help
Kennedy but disapproves of his actions, and father Joe Kennedy played
by Bruce Dern, can barely speak or write but is furious at Ted and
says only one word: alibi. Robert McNamara is also involved, and the
film ultimately involves a choice on Ted’s part: his career or
(perhaps) his soul.
This is a surprisingly good movie. All the actors are great
in their roles, especially Jason Clarke as Ted, a man with good
intentions who never wanted to be President but must carry on the
family’s legacy. Ed Helms is great in a serious role and Bruce Dern
is a force of nature as the elderly Joe. Kate Mara is able to show a
great deal of humanity in her brief role as Mary Jo. Scenes of Ted
manipulating the press by pretending to be the victim and wearing a
phony neck brace stick in the mind, as does the final scene, real
footage of Massachusetts voters from 1969, most of whom still love Ted
despite the fact that he apparently caused this young woman’s death.
It got me to thinking that maybe Trump should have driven Stormy
Daniels off a bridge; he could then claim to be broken up or in shock
about her death, as Ted did. Problem solved! Anyway, “Chappaquiddick”
kicks ass and you should go see it!