Interview with the Assassin (2002)

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Just perfect...

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

I learned an important lesson from Interview with the Assassins. If your elderly neighbor claims to have shot John F. Kennedy... run. Rob Kobeleski, the main character of this film, unfortunately didn't know that. Interview with the Assassin is about a reporter, Rob, whose neighbor, Walter, claims to have been the second gunman on the grassy knoll on that fateful day in Dallas back in 1963. Intrigued, Rob tries to learn more, but gets himself in over his head as a massive conspiracy unfolds around he and Walt, putting both of their lives in more danger than he could have imagined.The intriguing catch to this film is that it is all shot from Rob's perspective. Rob operates the camera and we follow the story along from his eyes and his vantage point. It adds a very unique allure to a film with an oddly compelling story. It makes the film a very interesting watch and it engages us in the story in a very different way. Of course, without this gimmick Interview with the Assassin likely wouldn't amount to anything, but that is usually the case with these kinds of films; see Cloverfield or The Blair Witch Project.Personally, I'm a sucker for these types of films. I haven't seen one in this style that I didn't like, and the same goes for Interview with the Assassin. It's a great little film that excellently blends suspense, action, and gripping drama. The story is one of those that makes you turn your head in confusion at multiple points, sometimes out of absurdity but mostly out of genuine interest in the bizarre story that unfolds in this film. There are definitely some odd and possibly unnecessary elements in the film, and the script falters at points, but overall this is a unique experience. Granted it doesn't amount to a whole lot and you can sort of see the climax coming, but for a relatively short film it's totally worth the watch.

It felt real to me I found myself believing every word Walter said. Even if the guy was nuts his skill and knowledge pointed to the fact that he could have killed JFK. He knew the scene of the crime very well ( And I don't mean from a spectators POV) To much evidence proves that he was the second shooter. The way it was shot helped the overall look of the film. I actually felt like I was watching a documentary until the cast credit came up at the end. Then I realized that this was a filmmakers recount on the actual confession. Many other forms of media have been created about the JFK murder but this one really stole the show for me. I also enjoyed the fact that a former American hero of the marines would actually be the guy to secure supreme power by killing the president. I got to say the scene towards the end where Walter is proving he done it by getting a gun into the white house and about to shoot another president was totally crazy in all the right ways.

A good mockumentry is a hard thing to pull off. To make something fake not only seem believable through the characters and the acting, but also through the plot while at the same time making it interesting, is a hard thing to do. Interview With the Assign, although clearly distinguishable as a mockumentry as apposed to a documentary from the very beginning, accomplishes this. The interesting characters woven into the easy to follow plot line, make for an exciting watch. The audience immediately feels some kind of affinity with Kobeleski, being a normal kind of guy looking for work, and at the same time immediately become intrigued by the Ex-Marine apparent third gun man, Walter Ohlinger. These two characters and their relationship hold together an otherwise shaky plot line, and we slowly follow Ron and Walter as they re-trace Walters steps more than 30 years after the shooting of JFK. This, although quite obviously a mockumentry, (It must hard to try and convince people it's real when it's not released in theatres. One can simply read the back of the DVD to see who 'stared' in it), is worth a watch!It's interesting and If nothing else it will get you thinking about one of the most puzzling crimes of the 20th century.

A film like this was long over due. It only made sense to make a film about the other gunman who infamously supposedly shot from the knoll. Director, writer and creator Neil Burger attempts to make the film as real as possible by making it look like a real documentary made by a amateur film maker and newsman. Unfortunately the whole "Blair Witch" angle doesn't work at all for this film because it never feels real. There are far too many holes in the style of the film making. Although Burger says in his director commentary that they had to be careful in the way that they filmed it because only what the film maker sees can be what is filmed but that's not the case. The angles are wrong, his cameras change and go places where cameras would NEVER be allowed (and even though he has a pair of glasses with a hidden camera quite often it's a hand camera he's using, dangling at this side or in front of him.) The "film maker" character utilizes what would likely be thousands of dollars but yet is unemployed?? All that aside the film IS interesting and probably would have made a far better regularly made thriller than the mock-umentary style they chose to go with. The film takes the viewer from a small California suburb to Dealy Plaza in Texas (which is a great location and interesting to watch the "killer" return to,) to Bethesda Naval Hospital. Fortunately for the film and for Burger the film is captivating and riveting because of it's lead actor.Veteran actor Raymond J. Barry plays Walter Ohlinger. Supposedly riddled with cancer he makes a confession to a local neighbor that he knows is a cameraman and former reporter saying he "finally wants to talk." Ohlinger was the gunman on the grassy knoll and delivered the head shot that killed Kennedy. Barry's Ohlinger is brutal. He's cold blooded, rough, vindictive and completely insane but in a very subtle way. He's been boiling over living the regular life and now has snapped. Ohlinger makes this film watchable. He's downright disturbed and Barry is brilliant in the role. You easily believe he could have done this crime and has no regrets about it or knows nothing about the extent of the conspiracy. Dylan Haggerty plays film maker Ron Kobeleski. Unfortunately despite Haggerty's TV actor experience he seems completely inept in this role. Barry plays such a strong character and to have an equally strong co-star would have made this film absolutely brilliant but Haggerty flounders and comes across like a Grade school play actor. His fear and emotions are not well acted and in all honesty he kind of ruins the story.Probably one of the most unique aspects of Interview With The Assassin is that despite being about Kennedy's Assassination, it has NOTHING to do with any sort of theories about his murder or conspiracy plots or anything like that because as the shooter Ohlinger knows nothing and admits to that as such. He never gives any sure fire evidence to the truth of his involvement but he does try. Most of the suspense in the film comes from the fact that despite Kobeleski's doubt he feels like he's being followed and that his life is in danger. The twist at the end is a pretty big twist and you certainly don't see it coming but it doesn't build up very well and doesn't hold you on the edge of your seat so that you're truly shocked by the ending. Overall big Kennedy fans might enjoy this twist of a story but it's certainly fictional and never attempts to be otherwise. The story and acting for the most part is so implausible that you never get riveted by it. It's an average film with one outstanding performance about an outstanding idea. 7/10