before writing this review i read some of the lessor reviews. i'm wondering what they saw. and i wish other reviewers would stick to their thoughts on a movie and NOT just give another plot summary with their opinion tacked on at the end.in my opinion this movie is a captivating story of a woman (caswell) dealing with the loss of her child and failed marriage. she sees in (adam) a shadowy wish of what her son could be. but reality in her personal life takes control of her very existence. her being a mistress to the president is secondary to her involvement with adam.adam has stumbled upon his own sexual desires and his school life is a jumbled mess because he is thrown into a situation where he must grow up fast; in contrast to the 'child like peers' he must associate with.this movie is a wonderful story told in a suspenseful and at times frightening quality. the director and actors did a super job and 10 stars isn't enough to praise it!

This movie is especially enjoyable if you've ever taken the time to explore several Historic and Real D.C. insiders from the era. Take a look at a few names. Mary Pinchot Meyer. James Angleton. Cord Meyer. Kathryn Graham (perhaps a mere coincidence that the two main characters are Catherine and Graham). Ben Bradlee. When you explore all these real-life characters and compare to the screenplay a clearer picture develops regarding the muddled plot lines described in other reviews. The young boy only serves as a vehicle to expose the "facts" in an eye-witness fashion. The movie works better when viewed as an interpretation of facts on record. Artistic license many times, but a few undeniable facts find their way into the story as well. Enjoy this movie. It makes you think.

The scene is 1963 Washington D.C.; the Cuban Missile Crisis is barely old news, Americans still fear the attitudes of the Russians, and the John F. Kennedy administration is still young. The Cold War is still frigid and the dreams of Camelot still in bloom. Thirteen-year-old Adam Stafford(Cameron Bright)endures the plight of bullies, nuns and girls at his Catholic school. His life finds a purpose when he spies on the naked body of his new neighbor across the street. She's blond, she's beautiful and young Adam is overcome with curiosity. Catherine Caswell(Gretchen Mol)is a divorcée, an artist and a woman with a past. Young Adam clicks pictures from his bedroom window and one night makes a startling discovery...Catherine is having a relationship with JFK. Against his parent's wishes, Adam and Catherine nurture a friendship and before long find themselves in a whirling vortex of confusion and mystery leading to the assassination of the nation's youngest President.Captivating intrigue. Witty and poignant. Pasionate awaking. Also in the cast: James Rebhorn, Mark Pellegrino, Perrey Reeves and Noah Wyle. Do yourself a favor and get involved.

Some of the reviewers here obviously have never heard of, or read a book of, historical fiction. This movie did not begin with "True Story". Hence why expect it to be? Indeed, if a film about historical events was 100% accurate it would be so boring we'd then complain about that. Gretchen Mol did a superb job as usual. I first saw her in "Forever Mine". If she gets the right part she always delivers. The part of the young man was also well done. It is difficult to give much info without spoiling the plot. It has drama, romance and tragedy. All well done; the components of good movies. So watch it for yourself. And don't try to make historical comparisons as you do. That's not what this movie is about.Most of the bad reviews here come from those who did not see the typical Hollywood template film they expected. There are no Quentin Tarantino type influences here. It's not the typical American type template that has won the US only 5 Palm D Ors in drama at Cannes in the last 25 years even though we've put out tens of thousands of films! Yes if you expect the usual steamy sex, filthy talk, things blowing up, chase scenes, gun battles and bloody gore-filled murder scenes you will be disappointed. Sadly, there are few American made movies worth the time or expense at a cinema these days but this is one of them. You get to have your cake and eat it too.