Bobby

Emilio Estevez the director is quite good, but Emilio Estevez the screenwriter is lost. The film doesn't let you get beneath the surface and watching more than a dozen characters is basically quite boring. If Bobby had reduced the number of characters and given them more personality, it could have been much better. (16.01.2007)

Try to overlook the fact that in almost every new character you recognize a familiar person, and I guarantee that you won't be able to tear yourself away and will remain absorbed in life's truths about war, humanity, willingness to save, hastiness, fateful missteps, unfortunate coincidences, and many others. The fact that the cast is full of celebrities is ultimately not a disadvantage at all, because it ensures an acting concert. There were more perfect ones, perhaps Wood, Macey, Joshua Jackson, and Laurence Fishburne, unfortunately, there are missteps in key roles, Sharon and Demi didn't fit me at all and with their overacting in intimate scenes, they almost spoiled the impression. But that's just a minor flaw in the beauty of an unpredictable mosaic, where smiles alternate with emotions and where you will experience a breathtaking audiovisual trip with long-haired Kutcher and naked Shia LaBeouf, an engagement based on rescuing a man from the Vietnam War and an inevitable final intertwining, and none of it can feel forcibly patched together. RFK is indeed a real character, but even if depicted as an unnamed icon here, his just and honorable ideas will still reach you and there is no pathos in his words, just unadorned humanity. It is through them that one realizes the true greatness of such a film. (08.08.2007)

Bobby is an informal name that suggests that its bearer was liked and had a close relationship with people. Unfortunately, this film is unable to convey this informality of the legend of American politics. The presidential candidate speaks to us only through his speeches, from which quite extensive passages have been selected. I have nothing against big ideas when they are presented in an unobtrusive way. However, here I felt as if the director was somewhat inspired by the famous Oprah Winfrey Show. I do not relate to this method of communication. In my opinion, it is both pathetic and soaked in ingratiating sentiment. The moving music, as the minutes went by, turned into torture. Bobby deserves one star for the idea of depicting the last hours before the assassination through a kaleidoscope of hotel guests and employees, thus using the method that Robert Altman made famous in the United States and another star for the stellar cast and their acting. On the other hand, I felt that some characters were unnecessary and I would like to learn more about others. Overall impression: 45%. (07.07.2015)

So kann man sich den Film als Erinnerung an das Ereignis ansehen, Tschechen werden sich über die Redakteurin des Parteiblatts Rudé Právo amüsieren, aber ansonsten wird das Ganze wieder durch die klischeehafte These - auch eine zerbrochene Ehe wird durch Staatstrauer zusammengeführt - vor die Hunde geschickt. Bäh. Dennoch ist die Besetzung wirklich repräsentativ: der leutselige Hopkins als Greta-Garbo-Fan, die sympathische Demi Moore als abgehalfterte Sängerin, die reife und immer noch sexy Sharon Stone als geschäftstüchtige Friseurin, die charmante Helen Hunt als verschwenderische Ehefrau, der gute Fishburne als Chefkoch und Guru aller Schwarzen und Slater als Deus ex machina. (27.06.2010)

Ausnahmslos großartige Darsteller*innen und ein angenehmes Mosaik-Drehbuch, welches das Publikum im Finale davon überzeugt, dass jede der Geschichten (sogar der Hippie von Ashton Kutcher) wirklich ihren Platz darin hatte. Deshalb halte ich Bobby für einen ausgezeichneten Film. Außer der überzeugenden historischen Stimmung enthält der Film eine Reihe von wirklich großartigen Szenen, wie etwa das Gespräch von Demi Moore und Sharon Stone vor dem Spiegel oder den pensionierten Pförtner Anthony Hopkins, der noch einen weiteren wichtigen Gast im Ambassador begrüßen möchte… Und dann den Schluss. (08.04.2015)

"Bobby" is not only about how Bobby Kennedy died, after all, it devotes minimal space to that, but it shows how the assassination also affected the lives of other people. The assassin continued shooting, even though he already had Kennedy off target. Emilio Estevez, even though he already had experience in film directing, showed that he is ready for big movies and capable of handling them. It is evident that this was his dream project. He succeeded, and I watched the ending with bated breath. It is then patriotic, there is nothing to be done about it, but when one reflects on what the following year could have been if Bobby had not died, it can be understood. To put a final point on history, Bobby was killed by a twenty-four-year-old young man named Sirhan Sirhan, who allegedly did so because Kennedy supported Israel in the so-called Six-Day War, which began exactly a year ago (took place from June 5th to June 10th, 1967). Yes, Sirhan Sirhan is of Palestinian origin. Whether there was more to it or if this was the only reason is a question. Sirhan could still testify because he is currently serving a life sentence in the Pleasant Valley State Prison in California. (19.11.2013)