Chappaquiddic

THE GIST: Senator Ted Kennedy is the last surviving son of the Kennedy dynasty, and the pressure is enormous on him to run for President of the United States. In the summer of 1969, a fateful late night car accident results in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne, a young campaign strategist. Kennedy was driving the vehicle and his actions after the accident will alter his life's trajectory forever.

Chappaquiddic is an interesting historical drama that tries to lay out the events that led to one of the biggest scandals in American politics and followed the Senator from Massachusetts until his death.

I wasn't aware of this tragedy, so I'm glad I learned about it. It certainly doesn't paint the Senator in a positive light, deservedly. I'm also glad he lost the nomination when he did eventually run for President, since his version of the events from that night obviously had gaping holes and he pretty much got off because of his last name and the privileges that still come with it.

In the current awakening of American society to white privilege and issues of race, it's even more startling to see what favorable treatment this white man got, which would have been quite different had his skin been of a darker shade.

The excellent cast led by Jason Clarke includes Kate Mara, Ed Helms, Bruce Dern, Jim Gaffigan, Clancy Brown, and Taylor Nichols.

THE BOTTOM LINE: A good drama and an interesting story, told against the backdrop of the first man landing on the Moon. Very informative.

Grade: 7