Plot
The story of the assassination of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy who was shot in the early morning hours of June 5, 1968 in the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, and 22 people in the hotel whose lives were never the same.
Release Year: 2006
Rating: 7.1/10 (27,956 voted)
Critic's Score: 54/100
Director:
Emilio Estevez
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone
Storyline Tuesday, June 4, 1968: the California presidential primary. As day breaks
Cast: Harry Belafonte
-
Nelson
Joy Bryant
-
Patricia
Nick Cannon
-
Dwayne
Emilio Estevez
-
Tim
Laurence Fishburne
-
Edward
Brian Geraghty
-
Jimmy
Heather Graham
-
Angela
Anthony Hopkins
-
John
Helen Hunt
-
Samantha
Joshua Jackson
-
Wade
David Krumholtz
-
Agent Phil
Ashton Kutcher
-
Fisher
Shia LaBeouf
-
Cooper
Lindsay Lohan
-
Diane
William H. Macy
-
Paul
Taglines:
He saw wrong and tried to right it. He saw suffering and tried to heal it. He saw war and tried to stop it.
Filming Locations: Ambassador Hotel - 3400 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, California, USA
Box Office Details
Budget: $14,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend: $69,039
(USA)
(19 November 2006)
(2 Screens)
Gross: $20,597,806
(Worldwide)
(31 December 2007)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
Italy:
(Venice Film Festival)
|
Canada:
(Toronto International Film Festival)
Did You Know?
Trivia: Anthony Hopkins plays a door man named John Casey in the film. In reality, there actually was a John Casey who served as door man at the Ambassador Hotel. At the end of the credits, it states, "'John Casey' is the name of an actual doorman at the Ambassador Hotel from 1928-1965. His portrayal in this film is not intended to reflect the actual facts of his life or legacy."
Goofs:
Audio/visual unsynchronized:
When Tim starts playing drums with the band, the sound of the cymbal doesn't match what he's playing.
Quotes: Miriam:
That poor woman... I used to be such a fan
User Review
One of the best of the year
Rating: 10/10
If you're sitting in the back row of a theater, hiding your tears as
the credits roll for a movie, you know it delivered the emotional
effect it was aiming for. I was lucky enough to catch "Bobby" at the
Toronto Film Festival -- its North American premier -- and what I got
was an incredibly beautiful story, cinematically gripping to say the
least.
Like in all great ensemble movies, "Bobby" offers a stellar cast, none
of whom disappoint. From the neurotic and self-conscious character of
Samantha (played by Helen Hunt) to the outspoken, confident Edward
Robinson (Laurence Fishburne), there is a vast mixture of personalities
that work to provide a complex interwoven plot line. But the most
notable performance (and the most surprising) is that of Virginia
Fallon. Brillianty portrayed by Demi Moore, Virginia is a foul-mouthed,
insecure alcoholic who sways around on screen in delicate form, both
heartbreaking and beautiful to watch.
Director-writer Emilio Estevez put his heart into this project. The
direction is without a doubt highly impressive. The subtle colorful
hues reflect the emotional grip of each scene, and extenuate a modern
feel to the film. He puts us head-first in the crowd that witnessed the
assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, on what would seem to be one of the
most heartbreaking moments in American history.
But what really stands out in this movie is not the screenplay, nor
directing, nor acting. The emotional intensity is brilliantly brought
out through the use of sound. An actual audio footage of RFK is heard
in the background as the tense score sways by over the muted dialogue.
And what works for this type of film-making is the amount of
anticipation it builds up, and even after pivotal scenes, the impact it
leaves on the audience.
There is a key scene in the movie in which all the characters prepare
to greet RFK when the energy of the entire screen seemingly drips with
positivity towards the American society. It's as though we forget the
fatal tragedy and give into the thought of this story having a happy
ending. We are reminded of classic ensemble films such as "Short Cuts",
"Magnolia" and "Crash" and immediately juxtapose that feeling.
Though I do fear that politically this movie may not hit home for a lot
of the critics once it hits a wide release, it is definitely going to
leave a lasting impression on the majority who sees it. It's a movie
that presents a magnificent cast, superb directing, and flawless
scriptwriting. An undoubtedly obvious ingredient for the Awards season.
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