America’s royal family is getting “The Crown” treatment.
The life and death of John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, are dramatized in the new FX series, “Love Story.” The result is a show that’s entertaining enough – but it also falls into the “biography drama” pitfall of frequently feeling like a glossy, well produced Wikipedia page.
Premiering Feb. 12 (9 p.m.) on FX and Hulu, the show is produced by Ryan Murphy, as an offshoot of his “American Crime Story” franchise (which included the Emmy-winning 2016 series “The People v. O. J. Simpson: American Crime Story”).
“Love Story,” also called “Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette,” sees Paul Kelly playing JFK Jr. and Sarah Pidgeon play Carolyn.
The drama opens by showing the volatile couple arguing and embarking on their doomed flight with John in the pilot seat. President John F. Kennedy’s son died at 38 in a 1999 plane crash, along with his wife Carolyn, who was 33, and her sister Lauren, who was 34.
Right after the plane takes off, the scene cuts to seven years earlier, showing John and Carolyn meeting, taking the viewer through the ups and downs of their tumultuous relationship. Like many biographies, the show picks key moments to linger on, while hop-scotching across other developments. This mostly works, but a few elements feel too disjointed, such as John’s relationship with the actress Daryl Hannah (Dree Hemingway).
The show is a solid watch. It isn’t a train wreck, but it’s also not nearly interesting enough, considering its subject matter.
John and Carolyn were an intriguing couple. She famously struggled with the press and paparazzi coverage that came with dating – then marrying – American royalty. He lived under intense scrutiny in his famous father’s shadow, and dabbled in several high-profile industries (including Hollywood, publishing, and the legal world).
The show should be riveting. It’s compelling enough, but it’s all rather bland. When the first photos came out of Kelly and Pidgeon in their roles there was backlash online, with fans pointing out the details that looked fudged, like Pidgeon’s hair color, which wasn’t blonde enough.
The show isn’t as bad as the backlash might have you think, but it’s not as good as it should be, either. The actors’ performances are decent, but they look like the smoothed-over, airbrushed Instagram filtered version of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. That pretty much encapsulates the entire show.
The writing tries to imagine John and Carolyn’s motives and private conversations, but they both feel like broad archetypes, onscreen. He’s the original “nepo baby,” son of a President, tabloid staple, troubled by society’s expectations, trailed by paparazzi, drawn to a woman who seems hard to get – his cousin incredulously says, “I’ve never seen you have to woo someone before!”
Meanwhile, Carolyn is a troubled party girl. They could easily be characters in any show about a playboy and aloof woman. Aside from some Kennedy name-dropping, it could be a naturalistic Batman show that simply isn’t doing the superhero part, yet. It’s not boring to watch, but neither of them feel idiosyncratic enough.
Naomi Watts plays John’s mom, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. She’s usually a powerhouse actress. Her distracting attempt to mimic Jackie O’s upper-crust accent is a rare swing and a miss. In her usually capable hands, America’s most iconic first lady is a caricature.
If you’re an American history fiend, or interested in a highly scrutinized ‘90s couple who had a messy relationship, “Love Story” is worth a watch. It’s not as lurid and empty as Murphy’s worst shows. It’s downright classy, for a Murphy joint.
Watching “Love Story” is similar to watching “The Crown” during its weakest seasons. If you want to see the story dramatized onscreen, it’s there. But otherwise, you’re better off watching one of the many documentaries or reading one of the many books about the real people.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
