Bobby

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.

Details

Official Website:
Official site [United States] |
TFM Distribution [France] |

Release Date: 23 November 2006

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:

120 min
 |
Italy: 112 min
(Venice Film Festival)
 |
Canada: 112 min
(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.