Talk about a performance. I just saw this movie on Fox Movie for the first time in years. And I am still blown away by Roberts Blakes rendition of Hoffa. To me he has always been under-rated. But during his recent problems I hear that even though he is a pain in a neck he was always thought of as a good actor.
Someone else stated that Nicholson is not as good with his performance as Hoffa, I agree. I remember Jimmy Hoffa and Blake comes the closet. Also I think this is much better movie(previously a mini series) then Nicholson's Hoffa. This movie was right in your face and it pulled no punches about Bobby Kennedy. Who I have heard was not a very nice person at all, this movie shows that. No matter how we feel about Kennedy as a politician, as a person he was not a charmer. Over the years his personality has become more well known. All through the movie Cotter Smith who is the best Bobby Kennedy I have ever seen made me want to slap him. I was actually rooting for Hoffa! It did make me think he was so out of reach from the average person that if it was anyone else that was after Hoffa they would of been more successful in getting him.
When Blake toward the end of the movie states to Kennedy in a tour de force performance of desperation on the telephone, that while he was so obsessed in catching him he forgot about his protecting his own brother I said to myself, he got that right. Kennedy was so arrogant that I don't think in real life it ever even occurred to him. But if Hoffa did indeed say that to him it must of hit him like a ton of bricks. Just like his arrogance about the FBI where in another scene when he gets Bitch Slapped by the Biggest Bitch in the world J Edgar Hoover over Castro's attempted assassination he didn't see it coming. BTW Ernest Borgnine is excellent as Hoover. I don't know why never saw him in that part before or after.
All in all it is the best movie I have seen about Robert Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. But if Kennedy did act this way in real life he comes off as a Patrician who was oblivious to everything around him and was obsessed with a mobster when he should of been interested in other things. I almost wondered if he wanted to become President just to get to Hoffa. Because he let Hoffa control his politics. When actually Hoffa comes off as a person scared to go to jail (gee who isn't)flawed but seemingly loyal to his men. I am not to sure about that. But his son was able to become the President of the Teamsters years later. So maybe his legacy was a good one.
Good movie. Too bad it is not out on DVD or even Tape!
Someone else stated that Nicholson is not as good with his performance as Hoffa, I agree. I remember Jimmy Hoffa and Blake comes the closet. Also I think this is much better movie(previously a mini series) then Nicholson's Hoffa. This movie was right in your face and it pulled no punches about Bobby Kennedy. Who I have heard was not a very nice person at all, this movie shows that. No matter how we feel about Kennedy as a politician, as a person he was not a charmer. Over the years his personality has become more well known. All through the movie Cotter Smith who is the best Bobby Kennedy I have ever seen made me want to slap him. I was actually rooting for Hoffa! It did make me think he was so out of reach from the average person that if it was anyone else that was after Hoffa they would of been more successful in getting him.
When Blake toward the end of the movie states to Kennedy in a tour de force performance of desperation on the telephone, that while he was so obsessed in catching him he forgot about his protecting his own brother I said to myself, he got that right. Kennedy was so arrogant that I don't think in real life it ever even occurred to him. But if Hoffa did indeed say that to him it must of hit him like a ton of bricks. Just like his arrogance about the FBI where in another scene when he gets Bitch Slapped by the Biggest Bitch in the world J Edgar Hoover over Castro's attempted assassination he didn't see it coming. BTW Ernest Borgnine is excellent as Hoover. I don't know why never saw him in that part before or after.
All in all it is the best movie I have seen about Robert Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. But if Kennedy did act this way in real life he comes off as a Patrician who was oblivious to everything around him and was obsessed with a mobster when he should of been interested in other things. I almost wondered if he wanted to become President just to get to Hoffa. Because he let Hoffa control his politics. When actually Hoffa comes off as a person scared to go to jail (gee who isn't)flawed but seemingly loyal to his men. I am not to sure about that. But his son was able to become the President of the Teamsters years later. So maybe his legacy was a good one.
Good movie. Too bad it is not out on DVD or even Tape!