The film Chappaquiddick is a piercing reexamination of the events surrounding the most difficult seven days of Senator Ted Kennedy’s career.

During this period he drove off a bridge ending the life of his passenger Mary Jo Kopechne, a promising political strategist who had worked on his brother Bobby Kennedy’s presidential campaign the year before.

It starts on the eve of the moon landing, 18 July, 1969, at a party in a rented house on Chappaquiddick Island, celebrating a reunion of many of Bobby Kennedy campaign workers.

With his brother John’s presidential legacy looming large as his promise to land a man on the moon is coming true, Kennedy leaves the party early giving Kopechne a fateful ride to the ferry.

He approaches a narrow bridge at an angle with the dirt road and in an instant the car flips over into the murky waters below. Kennedy escapes but the 28-year-old campaign worker remains trapped inside.

In the aftermath, Kennedy fails to report the accident for nine hours.

The Senator struggles to follow his own moral compass and simultaneously protect his family’s legacy, all the while simply trying to keep his own political ambitions alive.

Directed by John Curran (Tracks, The Painted Veil) from a screenplay by Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan, Chappaquiddick features a strong ensemble cast, including Jason Clarke (Ted Kennedy), Kate Mara (Mary Jo Kopechne), Ed Helms, Jim Gaffigan, Clancy Brown, and Taylor Nichols with Olivia Thirlby and Bruce Dern.

In cinemas 10 May.

Win Win Win

Thanks to Transmission Films we have ten double passes to Chappaquiddick for our readers.

To be in the draw to win simply fill in the form below with Chappaquiddick in the subject line or call the Have a Go News office during business hours on 9227 8283.

Competition closes 14/05/18.

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