Rating: 
Summary: A riveting history lesson
Review: For Thirteen Days in October of 1962 the world came a mere thumbnail away from nuclear destruction. The cold war was in full swing and just one push of a button would have drastically changed the course of history. "You'll never believe how close we came," is the tag line for 13 Days. And that was certainly the case for me. One of the best films of 2000, 13 Days, is an inside look at the JFK White House during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It's focal point is assistant Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner) who advised the President during this tense two weeks. Bruce Greenwood and Steven Culp and supurb as JFK and RFK. You can feel the tension in their bodies as they try to appease the generals who are ready to invade Cuba on a moments notice. Say what you want about the Camelot legacy of JFK's administration. It is quite clear and he was responsible for keeping the crisis in check, for the most part, as he was well aware of what invasion would mean. Look for a terrific monologue in which talks about the World War I book "The Guns of August." The DVD is loaded with extra features that go beyond what a two hour film could get into. By the end one should have a clear understanding of "How close we came." Don't overlook this great piece of filmmaking.
Rating: 
Summary: a good DOCUDRAMA.... but not for everybody.
Review: This is a good DOCUDRAMA.... but not for everybody. It is rich with facts and facts and more facts..conversation after conversation. This is NOT AN ACTION MOVIE and not actually a thriller. IT is basically 2.5 hours of intelligent people trying to solve these major problems and save lives. Many people in my generation do NOT know about the Cuban Missile crisis and I did learn many things from the movie but do not buy this thinking it is a thriller or an action movie. The accents of Kosner does get annoying but the plot does make you forget about it. The others actors all do their job very well. Also, the INFINIfilm is a very cool thing too. Since there is so much HISTORY behind this, this is great for further knowledge on the subject. Great for history buffs or teacher or people who just are into this CUBAN MISSILE CRISIS event. Since it is saturated with history, it does drag a bit in some places. It's not for everybody, but if you like a thinking-man's dialogue movie with only about 3 short action sequences, this is for you... the history and the truth behind it made it interesting for me.
Rating:
Summary: Riveting Drama That Brings History To Life
Review: Throughout the Twentieth Century, misjudgment-- the failure of one side to extrapolate the position of the other side-- has resulted in every major war from WWI to the Korean conflict. And no one was more aware of this than President John F. Kennedy, when in October of 1962, photographs taken by an American U-2 spy plane uncovered the existence of Russian surface-to-surface missiles being deployed in Cuba; missiles with a range that encompassed every major city in the U.S., with the exception of Seattle. "Thirteen Days," directed by Roger Donaldson, is a chronicle of two of the most intense, significant weeks in the history of America, as well as U.S./Soviet relations. Thirteen days that came down to a twelve to twenty-four hour period that could have changed the world as we know it today. Working from an intelligent, well-researched and accurate screenplay by David Self, Donaldson takes you behind the closed doors of the White House and conference rooms in which the fate of the nation was ultimately decided. The outcome is, of course, a matter of history, but the process which led to the final conclusion is intense, riveting drama that in the end illuminates just how close the world was brought to the brink of nuclear war by the Cuban Missile Crisis. Much of the tension in the film is derived and enhanced by the fact that it only gives the perspective of the Americans; but rather than making it a stilted, biased account, however, it becomes an objective, thoroughly engrossing presentation, and the fact that the viewer knows only what Kennedy knew puts you in the room with him, so to speak, and allows you to experience the process of assimilating the information, of extrapolating with Kennedy and ultimately making one of the most monumental decisions in history. The story unfolds through the eyes of Kenny O'Donnell (Kevin Costner), special advisor to the President, long time friend of the family and a trusted member of the Kennedy inner-circle. The film accurately establishes O'Donnell's position without embellishing his role simply for dramatic effect; he serves as something of a "tour guide," through whom you gain access to the drama playing out behind the curtain. That he is a close friend of the Kennedys is reflected in many scenes in which O'Donnell, Jack and Bobby are alone together. And since the story is told from O'Donnell's point-of-view, naturally his is a significant role; the film very subtly goes to great lengths, however, to establish the fact that within the conference rooms or during the meetings in the Oval Office, O'Donnell is kept at arm's length and, though present, is not a direct participant. Costner gives what is arguably one of the best performances of his career in this film, successfully capturing the essence of O'Donnell in an understated, subtle way that works extremely well and serves the story effectively. He's clearly the star of the picture, though much of what he does is on the sidelines, which keeps the focus on Kennedy and the magnitude of the situation at hand. Costner has drawn criticism in some quarters with regards to the distinctive New England accent he affects in the film, but the criticism is unwarranted; you have only to hear a tape of the real O'Donnell to realize how accurate Costner's portrayal is, up to and including the accent. Donaldson and the producers of this film realized that for it to really have an impact, the roles of JFK and RFK, especially, had to be cast with great care; for the film to be believable and to maintain that focus on the story, the Kennedys had to be believable, otherwise the effect would be significant to the point of distraction. And their meticulous efforts and hard work paid off. Bruce Greenwood gives an excellent performance as John Kennedy, from the accent to the body language and mannerisms he affects that so defined him. And Steven Culp is perfect as Bobby, imbuing his performance with nuance and an eye for detail that convincingly brings him to life. The outstanding supporting cast includes Dylan Baker (McNamara), Henry Strozier (Rusk), Frank Wood (Bundy), Len Cariou (Acheson), Bill Smitrovich (General Taylor), Kevin Conway (General LeMay) and Kelly Connell (Salinger). During the strife of the Civil War, the nation was preserved because the right man, Abraham Lincoln, was in the right place at the right time; and in retrospect, the same can be said of John F. Kennedy and the Cuban Missile Crisis. As Kennedy said, if we fail to comprehend the Soviets, and they don't understand us, the result will be tragic; and though the controversy of politics is inescapable, and there will always be two sides with opposing views, this film succinctly demonstrates that in this instance, it all came down to the decision of one man who proved he had the vision and the determination to do the right thing. And anyone who disputes it need only be reminded that, in fact, that is the Sun you see shining through your own window every morning.
Rating: 
Summary: Direction, Costner's Accent the Real Disastah
Review: Maybe I just can't stand Kevin Costner. But the favorable reviews for this movie really surprised me. The only emotion I felt through the film was embarrasment -- for Costner and his on-camera wife's attempt at Boston accents. The story is pretty good, but the mushroom cloud scenes and random black & white sequences seemed amateurish and out of place. The direction pales in comparison to "Traffic," which uses similar techniques with actual purpose and effect. Also, the Costner-family storyline was about as hackneyed as it comes... if you've seen either of the two recent meteor movies you know what I'm talking about. One star for teaching history (even if it's not 100% accurate)... and hey, the JFK lookalike was fun.
Rating:
Summary: Boring nonfiction
Review: I found this to be a very bad movie, something thats a rarity with me, but this one was bad. My friends liked it, but they're into that stuff. It was too long (147 mins.) and the limited action scenes were disappionting and too short. /i give this movie 1 1/2 stars. The main reason I didn't give it 0 was because it's a movie.
Rating:
Summary: I lived during this and was still spellbound watching!
Review: Wow, someone had their act together when making this movie. It's funny, I was in high school when this happened, therefore, certainly know the ending...and yet the movie is so well done, I couldn't stop watching. My heart hurt from the excitement. Bravo, there are rare movies that I can even sit through and stay awake! This was a terrific effort. Thoroughly enjoyed the story, the acting, etc.
Rating: 
Summary: But then again, I liked Waterworld...
Review: OK, so Kevin Costner's Boston accent is not great. Accents are not his strong suit. If you want historical fact, read a book or watch a documentary. If you like solid entertainment based on historical fact, I can easily recommend this movie. I was completely engrossed (to the end) within the first 10 minutes. (Pearl Harbor, it's not.) I found the Infinifilm feature annoying. Personally, I do not like distractions during a movie. It might fly better if a simple icon appeared at the lower corner of the screen instead of a broad band with a selection list. It's kinda nifty and has potential, but it's present form is far too distracting. There are 2 special features that are worth watching. Particularly the one that included the son of Nikita Kruschev describing his father's motivations and rationale during the missile crisis. It sure beat the typical "making of..." featurettes where the actors and directors pat each other on the back for doing such a wonderful job.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Film -- Amazing DVD
Review: "Thirteen Days" is an intelligent and thrilling gem of a movie with relentless edge-of-your-seat suspense. Based on the events that took place in October of 1962 surrounding the Cuban missile crisis, they used actual transcripts and historical records in creating this well-written script. Expertly directed by Roger Donaldson, this film contains some top-notch performances from Bruce Greenwood as JFK, Steven Culp as RFK, and Kevin Costner as Kenny O'Donnell. The DVD version is amazing, with layers and layers of extras that provide fascinating historical background and perspective on the crisis itself and how a devastating nuclear war was avoided. It demonstrates the kind of information and detail that every DVD could and should offer, and is a must-have for any DVD collection. This is film-making at its very best. If you missed it in the theater, don't let it pass you by again.
Rating:
Summary: Great DVD...rare look at a pivotal moment in history
Review: Its sometimes hard to look past Kevin Costner in this movie since his character is the most seen on screen, and I have never read nor heard that Kenny had such a large role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, but I dont know everything about the crisis. I kinda wish they had not tried to use an accent for him, since it didnt come off that well at first. Later on in the film, he seems much more comfortable and I really liked that. Costner has gambled on roles and been in some wonderful films in his career. This is another great one. My favorite actor is Bruce Greenwood, who plays JFK. He plays JFK like a real person, not a mythical knight out of Camelot, who says and does everything so perfectly. Instead, we see a man who is struggling with those elements he has no control over, both near him and abroad. It is a very understated and underrated performance. I also liked the actor who played Bobby. He was really very good. They portrayal of supporting characters made this film even better as they virtually all came off well. The DVD also is a nice package with lots of information. Prior to this, the best movie about the crisis was The Missiles of October, which is very strong on dialogue but overdoes it in a few scenes. I would watch them both. They each have much to commend.
Rating:
Summary: Watch an engrossing political drama unfold...
Review: 'Thirteen Days' is one well-done political thriller. It is based on the events concerning the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, when the U.S. discovered that the Soviet Union was using nearby Cuba as a missile base. Threats ensued, tensions escalated, and even war seemed like a horrific possibility. The film stars Steven Culp as Bobby Kennedy, Bruce Greenwood as a relatively convincing John F. Kennedy, and Kevin Costner as a right-hand man to the President, a sort of advisor, to keep focus and make sure things didn't tumble out of control. Costner does a good job here. He plays stern men very well, and so is perfectly suited for the role. Some have quibbled that his Bostonian accent is bad, but I judge the performance on more merits than if the voice is dead-on or not. That leads us to Bruce Greenwood as JFK. His looks and mannerisms come across quite superbly as the young President which we have pictured in our minds. The *voice* is a somewhat off, but why quibble? He's an actor, not necessarily an impressionist. The film is directed well - very starkly, with well-placed camera angles and good cuts between scenes. The other performances in the picture are good, especially the representation of Adlai Stevenson. His famous scene in the United Nations is re-created with stirring pride, and does the tension of the real event justice. Other scenes are handled well: the running of the blockade, the communications between JFK and Kruschev, and the meetings between Kennedy and his advisors. 'Thirteen Days' is meant to be a tight, engrossing thriller, and it succeeds quite admirably in that endeavor. The performances and the direction are above par. Its historical accuracy is, I'm sure, flawed in certain areas (most "based on real life" movies are), but it excels in bringing forth the tension that must have existed at the time. If there is one slight drawback to the film, it is that the Kennedys are portrayed as nearly perfect men. There is a great deal of nostalgia for the "Camelot" period of time, and JFK most certainly was a decent man, but here he and his brother are illustrated to be brave, noble, better and above all the rest. It is one of the few times the movie smacks of being somewhat slanted. But that is a forgivable view. This is a movie about one of our darkest hours, and the strong men who shone brightly through it. We all know that everything turned out ok, that there was no war, that we thankfully live in a free society which feels a little safer due in part to the events dramatized in 'Thirteen Days'. It would be good to read a well-respected history book to get the cold facts on the matter, but if you're looking for a good exposition of the raw emotions involved, then be sure to watch this intense film.
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