I haven't yet decided whether Burger is exposing our paranoia or exploiting it, but if people are more inclined to believe him than the Warren Report, is that his fault?
Interview with the Assassin (2002)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted: 57
Fresh: 38
Rotten:19
Average Rating: 6.5/10
Consensus: Barry is compellingly creepy as the self-named assassin.
Theatrical Release:Nov 15, 2002 Limited
Synopsis: To many people, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy remains one of the greatest mysteries in American history. Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? Was he a scapegoat in a conspiratorial... To many people, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy remains one of the greatest mysteries in American history. Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone? Was he a scapegoat in a conspiratorial plot? Could a second shooter have been responsible for JFK's death? Neil Burger's documentary-style directorial debut tackles these oft asked questions through the story of Ron Kobeleski (Dylan Haggerty), an out-of-work cameraman who becomes entangled in conspiracy theories when approached by his older, evasive neighbor, Walter Ohlinger (Raymond J. Barry), who wants to confess to an old crime. Walter claims to have been the second shooter in the JFK assassination, the man whose bullet actually killed the president. Ron pursues Walter's story with gusto, seeking the evidence needed to prove Walter's claim. As the two men travel around the country in search of the proof that Walter insists exists, Ron begins to debate whether or not this increasingly unstable man is telling the truth or is just plain crazy. Barry is believably menacing as the former Marine who may be responsible for one of the most pivotal events in American history. And Haggerty's portrayal of an ordinary man who is thrust into an extraordinary story is both subtle and convincing. [More]
Starring: John F. Kennedy, Raymond J. Barry, Dylan Haggerty, Renee Faia
Starring: John F. Kennedy, Raymond J. Barry, Dylan Haggerty, Renee Faia, Kelsey Kemper, Dennis J. Lau, Jared McVay
Director: Neil Burger
Director: Neil Burger
Screenwriter: Neil Burger
Producer: Brian Koppelman, David Levien
Studio: Magnolia Pictures
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Reviews for Interview with the Assassin
Rises above its modest production values and fairly simple idea by way of veteran character actor Raymond J. Barry's riveting performance.
Interview With the Assassin is a satisfying picture that like a pot of water on the stove keeps heating up until it explodes.
It could’ve been a great thriller, but not once does Burger create a believable moment.
As for the script, it wanders around in circles when it should be building a sense of paranoia and menace.
Barry convinces us he's a dangerous, secretly unhinged guy who could easily have killed a president because it made him feel powerful.
There are no big-name actors and no fancy camera work. But that's what makes it interesting.
Writer-director Burger imaginatively fans the embers of a dormant national grief and curiosity that has calcified into chronic cynicism and fear.
...best seen as speculative history, as much an exploration of the paranoid impulse as a creative sequel to the Warren Report.
A Blair Witch-inspired mockumentary that, while based on a brilliant premise, is disappointingly bumpy nonetheless.
Works because we're never sure if Ohlinger's on the level or merely a dying, delusional man trying to get into the history books before he croaks.
Whereas Oliver Stone's conspiracy thriller JFK was long, intricate, star-studded and visually flashy, Interview with the Assassin draws its considerable power from simplicity.
For most of the distance the picture provides a satisfyingly unsettling ride into the dark places of our national psyche.
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