This winter, the hit limited series Love Story produced by Ryan Murphy has been a hot topic of conversation at Dana Hall and an internet sensation. This show is absolutely worth watching as it offers nine episodes depicting John F. Kennedy Jr and his wife Carolyn Bessette’s tragic love story streaming on Hulu. John and Carolyn are played by Paul Anthony Kelly and Sarah Pidgeon.
This is the first season of Murphy’s new series depicting dramatic 20th-century love stories which were either problematic or tragic. The next season will portray Stevie Knicks and Lindsey Buckingham’s relationship. Murphy produced and directed Glee, American Horror Story, and Monsters.
I was mostly impressed by the show’s overarching theme of women making too many compromises for the man they love and eventually losing themselves. Caryolyn is depicted as extremely ambitious and a confident woman when first meeting John. She didn’t feel like she had time for John to play with her feelings and often tried to avoid him. However, after dating and eventually accepting her proposal, the show depicts how she handles this extreme fame. Carolyn eventually started to feel out of place in the new world, leading her into depression and isolation. This message was extremely important for young women to watch due to how it portrayed the consequences of choosing a man over your career.
I and many others on the internet were a little displeased at first with the portrayal of Carolyn. However, the focus at first was both John and Carolyn’s private life, which shifted mainly onto her after the first few episodes. Carolyn has always been a mystery due to the fact she hated paparazzi and avoided interviews. So, seeing the portrayal of Carolyn while working at Calvin Klein before she met John, was a revealing experience. The show portrayed her as a man eater, partiter, and a little reckless. I question whether this was an accurate portrayal or if the public perhaps didn’t know who she really was.
Watching this for the first time, I was immediately pulled in with the simple Calvin Klein inspired cinematography. Each shot feels like you are being immersed into the 90s minimalist era, which was aesthetically pleasing. I was impressed with the casting of John F. Kennedy Jr. who is played by Paul Anthony Kelly. Not only does he resemble John extremely well, but also encapsulates his charm and belovedness perfectly.
The portrayal of John’s sister, Caroline Kennedy played by Grace Gummer, who is the daughter of Meryl Streep, was done tremendously well. They portrayed her as witty, wise, and protective over the Kennedy reputation. She was an extremely relatable character as she was critical over her brother’s reckless decisions and his reputation in the tabloids. However the side of her also being slightly intimidated by Carolyn made her a very complex and overall likable character.
In contrast, the depiction of other characters such as Daryl Hannah, John’s girlfriend of five years, was slightly distasteful. Dree Hemingway, who played Daryl Hanah, did a fantastic job at portraying Daryl’s voice, lighthearted energy, and her unserious attitude. However, Murphy and the writers needed an antagonist for this story and chose her. They portrayed her as the person in the way of Carolyn and John’s relationship. Daryl Hannah spoke recently on the Today show saying, “The character ‘Daryl Hannah’ portrayed in the series is not even a remotely accurate representation of my life, my conduct or my relationship with John. The actions and behaviors attributed to me are untrue. I have never used cocaine in my life or hosted cocaine-fueled parties.” I believe the portrayal of Daryl was not necessary in making this series entertaining. I enjoyed the episodes without her in it more. What makes this show special is seeing a glimpse into the lives of two of the most admired celebrities in the past few decades, not an antagonist trying to disrupt their relationship.
The costume designer, Rudy Mance, did a fantastic job at replicating Carolyn’s iconic looks. They included her LL bean luggage, her iconic Selima optique sunglasses, and her effortless male white button downs she wore.
This show offers a window into one of the most tragic love stories and families of the 20th century. Despite the events being exaggerated for entertainment purposes, it offers us valuable lessons as an audience. As the show came to a close I felt like I got to know and love not just Caroylnn and John, but also Carolynn’s sister who passed away in the crash with John and Caarolyn. The show didn’t brush over any important event or character and gave light to everyone affected by their love story, such as Jackie Kennedy and Carolyn’s mom. I believe everyone should invest time into this series as it offers valuable lessons and incredible storytelling.