You know, when it comes to movies, there usually isn’t much mystery involved. A film gets funding, a team gets put together, and a movie is either made or it isn’t. It’s usually that simple.
It'’s definitely not simple for the (possibly?) upcoming Jessica Chastain-led JFK thriller, Assassination, which was originally supposed to be directed by David Mamet. Mamet “stepped away” from directing and has been replaced by Rain Man director Barry Levinson. Mamet is still on as co-screenwriter with Nicholas Celozzi.
Jared Leto was also supposed to be in this film before allegations of sexual assault emerged, and he was dropped from the cast. Even with all of the mystery involved (there isn’t even a Wikipedia page for the movie), I’m still excited about what I THINK the film is going to be about. Here’s why.
The Film Is Apparently About The Prominent Journalist, Dorothy Kilgallen, Who Had A Mysterious Death
Now, I’m going to be straight with you. I actually had zero interest in this film until my father asked me if I knew who Dorothy Kilgallen was. Kilgallen, you see, was a famous journalist in the ‘50s and ‘60s. She even became enemies with Frank Sinatra after writing a tell-all article about him that hinted at his ties to the mob.
Now, this mob detail is important because the biggest story of her career (If she had lived long enough to write it) was digging deep into Kennedy’s assassination, as she believed the mob could have played a role in his murder. However, she ended up dead with mysterious causes, and that’s pretty much her legacy now - being “the reporter who knew too much.”
Chastain will be playing Kilgallen, and the rest of the cast (that we know of) will consist of Al Pacino, Brendan Fraser, and Bryan Cranston in undisclosed roles. I mostly just want to see a movie about Kilgallen, as her story sounds fascinating.
David Mamet And Barry Levinson Are Working On It Together
Personally, I think it’s a shame that Mamet isn’t directing the film, as I’m a big fan of his work behind the camera (House of Games is one of my favorite movies, after all!). However, if it was going to be anybody to replace him, I’m happy that it’s Barry Levinson, who directed one of the best movies of the ‘80s, Rain Man.
Levinson has actually worked with Mamet in the past for the 1997 black comedy, Wag the Dog, which I swear has felt more and more relevant over the past few decades since its release. That said, I do think that Levinson, whose last movie was the Robert De Niro-led The Alto Knights (Which we didn’t give the best review), could use some help with this one, with Mamet on hand.
Great minds think alike, after all, and I’m looking forward to the two of them working together on this JFK-thriller.
Overall, The Main Talk Surrounding This Film Is Leto’s Exit, But The Movie Itself Sounds Incredible
I had heard about this film a while ago, but forgot about it, and it only came back on my radar due to Jared Leto’s departure. That said, I can’t help but be enthused to see this movie now that it’s fallen back into my orbit of interest. You see, anything about JFK interests me, from docuseries to the excellent movie by Oliver Stone.
So, a movie about the investigator who tried to get to the bottom of the case – and ended up dying mysteriously – seriously sounds like my jam. Add in actors like Brendan Fraser, Al Pacino, and Bryan Cranston, and you have a movie that seems catered directly to me.
