11.22.63 (2016) Review

 

11.22.63 (2016)

This fascinated me from the moment I heard about it, so it was really cool to finally get to watch it, as it’s a HULU exclusive.

Based off the book by Stephen King, 11.22.63 is about Jake, an English teacher who is tasked to go back in time to stop the assassination of JFK.

For starters, the show gets the 60s right, which is really important for a show rooted in time travel. The faithful recreations of Texas and Maine show a world not all that different from our own, aside from the technology, racial issues, and clothing.

As for the show itself, it does a good job of packing a massive book into an 8-part series. In the transition to film, it does lose some of the elements that made it important, such as the tense horror that is rooted throughout. The tone itself is unique though, with a nice blend of adventure, thrills, romance, and conspiracy, never lingering on one over another too much.

The performances in the series are all very well done too, with James Franco as Jake being a surprisingly good protagonist. Supporting performances by 1917’s George Mackay, Sarah Gadon, and Daniel Webber’s Lee Harvey Oswald, all elevate good scenes to better, making for an interesting story in Jake’s mission to stop Oswald.

What stands out the most in 11.22.63 though is the story. Yes, it was based off a book, but it’s such an engaging and interesting story that everyone has always been curious about: what if JFK had never been killed? A question we get a surprising answer to, that almost feels betraying. They handled time travel wonderfully, and kept Jake in the 60s long enough for us, and him, to grow attached to the setting, making going back to the present a tough decision. One of the issues with converting a book to film is some things get jumbled, and that happens occasionally, with some things not making any sense unless you’re really versed in the history behind the JFK case. But nonetheless, it was still interesting to see all of the little tidbits regarding the FBI and Lee Harvey Oswald.

All in all though, it’s an engaging story that, besides the multiple fake-out endings, ends on a heartwarming and satisfying note for Jake and Sadie.

7.8/10