Thirteen Days (2000)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Jameson W

  
  Great film! A movie that I've watched at school that was legit, not a lame educational movie. A very good adaptation of the drama and conflict behind the Cuban Missle Crisis. Fueled mostly by great performances and powerful dialogue, this film is a great historical drama. The… More
  Great film! A movie that I've watched at school that was legit, not a lame educational movie. A very good adaptation of the drama and conflict behind the Cuban Missle Crisis. Fueled mostly by great performances and powerful dialogue, this film is a great historical drama. The emotion and intensity in the story is very believable. We truly were on the brink of war, and this film I believe captures a realistic look into what occured. I recommend this film to everyone, especially History buffs.

• Jeff "

  
  As far as I'm concerned, this is director Roger Donaldson's greatest film. Thirteen Days is set during the two week long Cuban missile crises of October 1962. Thirteen Days is a powerful dramatic thriller about those events, that brought the world near a nuclear war. A very… More
  As far as I'm concerned, this is director Roger Donaldson's greatest film. Thirteen Days is set during the two week long Cuban missile crises of October 1962. Thirteen Days is a powerful dramatic thriller about those events, that brought the world near a nuclear war. A very tense, suspenseful film, Thirteen Days is an impressive film, and we see how the American government try to handle the more than fragile situation. Because after all, this was at the high of the cold war. Director Roger Donaldson does a phenomenal job at building up the tension throughout the film. Donaldson is so good at tension building that you cannot look away from the film because you want to know how all this will end. Thirteen Days is one of the few films that I have seen that brilliantly builds up its thrills and suspense to a very good climax. The cast is well chosen and the best performances here are Kevin Costner and Bruce Greenwood.. These are the two who really deliver on screen, but theres not a single bad casting choice. Thirteen Days is one great dramatic Thriller about one of the most tense two weeks of the entire cold war. Roger Donaldson has delivered a great film thats definitely not boring, even though theres a lot of talking involved. The film will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end and is a terrific thriller supported by a great cast of actors. Thirteen Days is an excellent film that sheds light on those drastic, tense two weeks of October 1962. This is a film that very powerful and compelling, a very interesting depiction of a dark time in history.

• familiar s

  
  Would've liked it better if it was simply a dramatized version of the actual events & not over-dramatized.

• Leigh R

  
  This movie surprised me. I wasn't interested in watching but somehow got wrapped into it. Not so bad.

• Red L

  
  I was amazed that I had not seen this before now (2008). This falls into my realm of great movies - a thrilling, non-stop action, intelligent account of the Cuban missile crisis. I was a kid when it happened, and I had not heard many of the details, but if what the Kennedy… More
  I was amazed that I had not seen this before now (2008). This falls into my realm of great movies - a thrilling, non-stop action, intelligent account of the Cuban missile crisis. I was a kid when it happened, and I had not heard many of the details, but if what the Kennedy administration had to go through was even half of what they showed in this movie, man are we all lucky they were there.

• Lenny M

  
  Costner trying to put on a New England accent.

• Gordon A

  
  Gripping political thriller which manages to hold you transfixed at each turn despite knowing the eventual outcome. You can't get more dramatic than the intense stress these men were under to make crucial decisions for the future of mankind on earth. Beyond scary.

• Jennifer X

  
  most boring movie ever.

• Nate Z

  
  [font=Arial][color=darkred]"Another Kevin Costner film?! I'd rather suffer uncontrolable urination problems!," you could be saying to yourself. After Costner's recent track record of movie train wrecks, hearing that he'll have full Bostonian accent in hand… More
  [font=Arial][color=darkred]"Another Kevin Costner film?! I'd rather suffer uncontrolable urination problems!," you could be saying to yourself. After Costner's recent track record of movie train wrecks, hearing that he'll have full Bostonian accent in hand seems a little nerve-racking. But despite Costner's beantown speech '13 Days' is a real surprise in just how much tension it actually wrings from the true story of the Cuban Missile Crisis.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Though '13 Days' will suffer from the same problem 'Titanic' did, people know their history and know how it ends. Though we all know we weren't obliterated in nuclear war (At least I hope the majority of us know) '13 Days' shows us the suspense through back-door politics as a fly on the wall in the White House. The audience sees all the political wrangling and power struggles in this cat-and-mouse game that made two nations hold their breathes in a high stakes staredown. Bruce Greenwood, mainly known for beguiling Tommy Lee Jones in an assortment of flicks, plays our Commander in Cheif John F. Kennedy. Costner seems to be a presidential advisor that could easily be mistaken for JFK's imaginary friend the amount of time they spend together alone. Steven Culp plays Bobby Kennedy, and the fab threesome make up the core team that handeled this bombastic situation. Of course there are dozens of other individuals involved within varying degrees, with the military leaders wanting procedures to lead them to inevitable war with Communist Soviets.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]The warhawks reccommend a Cuban invasion whereas the option of a quarantine hangs in sight as well. Through the next trying thirteen days stress will accumulate as options become more clear as deadlines become clearer. The politcal manuevering makes for a gripping story, though a tad punched up at certain areas. It proves time and again that history makes the best stories.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Let's get down to what's on everyone's mind: how much is the suck-ratio zooming on Kevin Costner in this picture? Well, his accent is very very jarring to begin with but you kind of get used to it after ten minutes of wear and tear. Costner does an alright acting job but the real spotlight is on the Kennedy brothers. Greenwood and Culp turn in star-making performances that gives human glimpses to the already prolific Kennedys. Culp is outstanding as Bobby, showing that the superiors discount him because of his young age but that he's a shrewd and thoughtful politician. Greenwood doesn't exactly sound like JFK but he adds particular dimension to the man behind the center of the crisis.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]'13 Days' is a prime example of showing how intense and frightening fiction can be. Director Roger Donaldson uses black and white interludes for no real reason, but his final product is one of nail-bitting suspense.[/color][/font] [font=Arial][color=darkred]Nate's Grade: B+ [/color][/font]

• Will T

  
  Pacing problems, but this is pretty well made, Kevin Costner kicks a lot of ass in this one.

• Alec B

  
  The film almost certainly overplays the significance of Kenneth O'Donnell (Played by Kevin Costner who produces the worst New England accent ever put on screen) who probably had little to do with the whole crisis and I've always felt that making the Russians and Cubans… More
  The film almost certainly overplays the significance of Kenneth O'Donnell (Played by Kevin Costner who produces the worst New England accent ever put on screen) who probably had little to do with the whole crisis and I've always felt that making the Russians and Cubans almost non-existent characters in the whole affair downplays what the lessons of those days really were. However, the film is well made and The performances of Bruce Greenwood, Steven Culp, and Dylan Baker and John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Robert McNamara respectively are all right on the money.

• Deb S

  
  Thirteen Days is an interesting and thought provoking film that gives some insight into the communication processes of political leaders. It is the story of how the Kennedy brothers avoided war while the entire U.S. military -- and most of President Kennedy's staff -- wanted the… More
  Thirteen Days is an interesting and thought provoking film that gives some insight into the communication processes of political leaders. It is the story of how the Kennedy brothers avoided war while the entire U.S. military -- and most of President Kennedy's staff -- wanted the United States to strike Cuba and enter into war with Russia. President Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Kenny O'Donnell, their political advisor, decided to wait and it was a chilling two and a half hours of drama, showing tense dialogue because Kennedy's refusal to take immediate action leads the Joint Chiefs to suspect weakness. The Cuba crisis remains a great example of how potentially lethal and global conflicts can be resolved with the pen rather than the sword. The only thing that holds this movie from being a masterpiece is the slightly disappointing ending, since the audience never feels the relief people in 1962 must have felt where just the tiniest misstep could have sparked a general nuclear war. If you like historic dramas, this is one not to miss.

• Brian R

  
  Not as fascinating or engaging as Oliver Stone's "JFK" but "Thirteen Days" is still a good effort nonetheless, and well casted.

• Sarah P

  
  An important historical movie.

• Jessica v

  
  Fantastic film, positively engrossing. Being Canadian, it was very interesting to really get inside the minds of the leaders that helped steer the world from nuclear war. Greenwood gives a strong, dignified performance worth noting. Definitely recommended, just make sure… More
  Fantastic film, positively engrossing. Being Canadian, it was very interesting to really get inside the minds of the leaders that helped steer the world from nuclear war. Greenwood gives a strong, dignified performance worth noting. Definitely recommended, just make sure you're prepared to think.

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