Bobby

What’s it about?
We follow the lives of guests and staff at the Ambassador Hotel on June 4th 1968, the day before Robert Kennedy was assassinated. The hopes of the time are thoughtfully reflected in the ups, downs and frustrations of their lives, which are devastated by Kennedy’s assassination. Providing a snapshot of this unique time in American history.

Highs n lows
The measure of a good film is being able to go in, sit down, and be hooked from the outset. Now I’m not the slowest one off the starting block, but I went to see this without knowing exactly what it was about, and struggled until about half way through before twigging that there wasn’t an overall story, just interwoven vignettes of people’s lives each throwing a bit of light on issues of the day. Had I read the synopsis in advance I might have formed a different view, but as it is, this is a poignant portrayal of life at a point in history, but not a must see.

Written and directed by Emilio Estevez, this is however worth a look just for the sheer number of stars in the cast, effortlessly portraying a vast mixture of characters with the minimum of lines, including amongst others: Christian Slater (bigoted boss Timmons) Laurence Fishburne (outspoken sous chef Edward) and Freddy Rodriguez (kitchen hand Jose) whose story shows what life was like struggling to make it in a country where open prejudice was rife.

The struggle between the sexes is shown by switchboard worker Angela who hopes her affair with boss Ebbers (William H Macy) will lead to a promotion; juxtaposed pointedly by the despair of older women Sharon Stone (Hotel Hairdresser) and Demi Moore (alcoholic singer Virginia Fallon) – watch out for their dressing room scene.

Whilst society’s respect for older people and disrespect for the Vietnam war are shown through the eyes of retired doormen (Anthony Hopkins and Harry Belafonte) and the young engaged couple (Elijah Wood and Lindsay Lohan) marrying to save him from going out to Vietnam.

Events are movingly tied together with actual audio footage of Kennedy’s speeches, many of which are, sadly, still relevant today.

“What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis. And that what has been going on with the United States … – the divisions, the violence, the disenchantment with our society … whether it’s between blacks and whites, between the poor and the more affluent, or between age groups or over the war in Vietnam – that we can start to work together again. We are a great country, an unselfish country and a compassionate country. And I intend to make that my basis for running …”
- Robert F Kennedy’s final speech, June 5 1968

Is it any good?
3 out of 5