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In one of the first sentences uttered by Edward “Ted” Kennedy (Aussie actor Jason Clarke) after escaping from a sunken car that he had driven off a bridge and into shallow water on July 18, 1969, the film “Chappaquiddick” can be summed up: “I’m not going to be president.” Forget about the fact that he was correct. However, there is a more pressing issue to deal with at that point, which is: An unconscious young female passenger, identified as Mary Jo Kopechne, is gasping for air and slowly expiring in the back seat of his car. Nonetheless, in his privileged world, he considers it his first and most important responsibility to save himself and what is left of his family’s dynastic legacy. He wouldn’t officially report the accident for another 10 hours or so, more than enough time, according to authorities who arrived the following day, for Kopechne to have been rescued.
Cover-ups of misdeeds committed by those in positions of authority in our country are nothing new, as the film, directed in unfussy workmanlike fashion by John Curran, serves as a sobering reminder of this reality. When it comes to taking responsibility for one’s morally questionable actions while in office, money, power, lies, and cronyism have consistently provided a safety net to avoid facing the consequences of such actions, which frequently leave an unsightly trail of human collateral damage.
The script, written by first-time writers Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, is content to simply present the events and their aftermath in the order in which they occurred, with the occasional flashback. However, given the constant barrage of ethical issues that those in power are subjected to, viewers are likely to provide their own interpretations of the material. In an era when adult film stars such as Russ Meyer and his Playboy Playmates are taking center stage in ongoing political scandals, such tabloid-style reports of bad behavior are beginning to sound more and more like the plot of one of Meyer’s X-rated romps through the underworld. However, for those who are drawn to re-creations of historical controversies that have more gravitas and outright tragedy, “Chappaquiddick” may be sufficient, especially given the presence of the once-in-a-generation Kennedy family at the center of the story.
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If the title of this fact-based drama looks like it could be the sound of a hunter’s duck call, you are probably too young to remember when the last surviving son of Joe and Rose found himself in a whole heap of self-inflicted trouble. One might expect this 37-year-old U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, who was considering a run for the presidency, to be more circumspect in public given the fact that he outlived his three older brothers—Joe Jr. died in World War II, while John and Robert became the targets of assassinations that rocked our nation. This is supported by the fact that Ted can’t even avoid colliding with a buoy during a sailboat race, almost sending his two passengers into the ocean in his desperation to take first place.
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Ted, whose pregnant wife Joan was then on bedrest and would later miscarry, and five other married men held a reunion with six so-called “Boiler Room Girls” on a small island near Martha’s Vineyard on a summer night nearly half a century ago. Before Bobby was killed in 1968, the single young women, all in their twenties, worked on his presidential campaign in a sweltering D.C. office space before he was killed. Curran, on the other hand, does not provide such specific information about the attendees. The drinking and dancing take place in a small cottage, but it is not a bacchanal in the traditional sense. There are a few hints that Ted and Mary Jo (a strong Kate Mara, who has only a few scenes where she isn’t completely submerged in water) might have had a personal connection before she takes her fateful steps into his Oldsmobile, but there isn’t much more than that.
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If cellphones had been available at the time, it is likely that the outcome would have been very different. Instead, Ted “borrows” a rowboat and makes a hasty retreat to the hotel where he is staying, relying on a phone booth to inform his devious father of the bad news that he has received. Because of a stroke, Joe (depicted admirably by Bruce Dern) is unable to speak or even breathe, and he is reliant on a wheelchair for mobility. One important piece of Rosebud-like advice, however, comes from him: “Alibi,” which means “Alibi.”
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Because this incident occurred just two days before Apollo 11’s historic lunar landing, the titillating details of the accident were quickly pushed aside in favor of the more important story of the day. He initially tried out the lie that Mary Jo was behind the wheel, but eventually settled on the “I don’t remember” route, working with a doctor who was willing to claim he had suffered a concussion and electrocution as a result of the accident. He ends up wearing a neck brace to Mary Jo’s funeral, and it turns out that no one was fooled. Throughout it all, Ted expresses little remorse or concern for the woman who died, preferring instead to strategize with his team in order to maintain his good reputation. He ultimately pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of a car accident that resulted in personal injury and was sentenced to a two-year suspended prison term for his actions.
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Being cast in the role of Ted Kennedy is a difficult task, especially for an actor from Australia, who must master the necessary New England accent to succeed. As a character, he lacks the self-assurance and natural charisma of his brothers John and Robert, and he shouldn’t, especially given how he conducts himself in the face of a dire situation. However, Clarke, who has previously excelled at portraying complex and compromised male characters in films such as “Zero Dark Thirty” and “Mudbound,” is completely convincing as the surviving Kennedy brother, both physically and vocally. One wishes that the film itself provided him with more opportunities to perform than it does.
When I think about all of the documentaries and feature films that have been made about President John F. Kennedy, I’m surprised that no one has made a film about “the girl in the car.” I’m not sure why that is. Originally, “Chappaquiddick” was set to be directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson, best known for his work on “50 Shades of Grey.” Perhaps, in the future, she or another female filmmaker will be able to pay long-overdue homage to Mary Jo, who is given too little screen time in this film, by fully fleshing out her life story as well.
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