Bruce Greenwood portrays President Jack Kennedy amid the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. This movie portrayed the players in this glorified game of Nuclear Chicken with intelligence and intensity. So often today, we the people elect independantly-minded leaders hoping for some integrity and honesty to come through the office only to find that elected officials are pawns to be played on by various lobbyists, constituents, and the media.
One of the most often stated lines in this film was, "what's it gonna look like?!" To the Russians, the American people, or to the world, this Presidency was keenly aware of the possibility of mis-interpretation in whatever move they made. They were also aware of the fact that other men in power would manipulate their position to forward their own agendas. This movie was like watching a multi-dimensional game of chess because the USSR was not the only antagonist. The Generals of various military divisions had their own desire for "payback" against Cuba and intentionally ran military exercises and tests - even bumping up the security level without the President's prior consent.
Thirteen Days gave me an appreciation for honest elected officials that I never had before. It also created a very clear picture for me of what happened next. How much power can a President have? How many chess pieces are left on the board.
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