JFK (1991)
Introduction
Hello you. Make a cup of tea. Put a record on. Something paranoid, something jittery, perhaps The Fall or the white noise of a broken television set.
It's 1991. The Gulf War is televised spectacle, Thatcher’s been kicked out, but Britain's still drowning in political apathy. Meanwhile, Oliver Stone delivers JFK, a sprawling, incendiary political thriller that suggests governments don't just lie, they orchestrate nightmares. Stone tosses a grenade into America's self-image, leaving conspiracy, paranoia, and genuine rage scattered everywhere.
Plot Summary
Jim Garrison, a New Orleans District Attorney, smells bullshit in the official explanation of JFK's assassination. Obsessively, he digs into tangled webs of the CIA, Mafia, and shadowy military-industrial power structures. Reality splinters under the weight of his paranoia, until truth and fiction become indistinguishable. Did the American government kill its own president? Probably not, but fuck, Stone almost convinces you it did.
Behind the Scenes
Stone was accused of pushing dangerous nonsense even before the film wrapped. Warner Bros., terrified, had to defend this $40 million middle finger to accepted history. Stone based JFK on Jim Garrison's memoir and Jim Marrs’ conspiracy tome, creating a provocative counter-myth to the Warren Commission's cosy official narrative.
Kevin Costner initially balked at playing Garrison until his agent reminded him conspiracy sells. Tommy Lee Jones dove deep, interviewing Garrison multiple times to portray alleged conspirator Clay Shaw. Gary Oldman barely had dialogue as Oswald; Stone simply sent him out to do his own paranoid research, leaving Oldman suitably haunted.
Why It’s a Must-Watch
JFK refuses to be a sober biopic. Stone masterfully weaponises cinema, flash cuts, mixed film stocks, shifting perspectives, to evoke chaos and confusion, mirroring the fractured reality of conspiracy. It's an assault on complacency, a provocative scream that governments lie and truth is negotiable.
Forget accuracy. JFK is about something deeper: how easily power manipulates truth. And that's fucking terrifying.
Key Quote
"Back and to the left. Back and to the left."
— Jim Garrison
For Fans Of
Apollo 13 (1995). Historical Storytelling with a sprinkle of Hollywood.
Memorable Moments
The "Mr. X" scene, where Donald Sutherland calmly dismantles trust in government piece by meticulous piece.
Garrison's obsessive courtroom rant, mixing fact, fiction, and frantic paranoia into one unforgettable monologue.
The Zapruder film breakdown, endlessly looping Kennedy’s head exploding, etching conspiracy permanently into pop culture.
Easter Eggs
Real-life Jim Garrison appears briefly as Chief Justice Earl Warren, interrogating Jack Ruby.
Oliver Stone's son, Sean, plays Garrison's son Jasper, a subtle nod to family legacies and conspiratorial inheritance.
Actual assassination witness Beverly Oliver cameos in Jack Ruby’s nightclub, blurring lines between reality and cinema even further.
Why You Should Care
JFK isn't about solving the assassination. It's about the horrifying realisation that truth itself can be manipulated, buried, and twisted by those in power. Oliver Stone doesn’t ask you to accept his conspiracy; he forces you to question everything you’ve ever been told.
Watch JFK because trust is overrated. Watch it because Stone’s mad, sprawling masterpiece remains urgent, chilling, and all too believable in an era defined by misinformation.
See you on down the road.
