Bobby
An earnest ensemble portrait of strangers and insiders converging at Los Angeles's Ambassador Hotel on the eve of a defining political tragedy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- nostalgic
- earnest
- melancholic
- historical drama night
- political film discussion
What critics said
Critics found the film ambitious and sincere, with an energetic ensemble and timely political ideals, but widely faulted its melodramatic, overly expositional subplots and uneven dramatic focus.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Ambassador Hotel brings together campaign workers, kitchen staff, couples, entertainers, laborers, and longtime residents during one politically charged day.
Robert F. Kennedy appears through speeches and archival footage while the fictional hotel vignettes build toward his appearance.
The hotel stories address racism, Vietnam-era anxiety, marriage strain, class, ethnicity, and hopes for social renewal.
The narrative tracks June 4, 1968 from morning toward Kennedy's scheduled midnight speech, with the audience aware of the historical stakes.
Films like Bobby, and why
Nashville
ensemble social drama interweaving private lives against a politically charged historical moment
Grand Hotel
multi-character hotel or public-space drama built around intersecting personal crises and a looming collective event
The Last Picture Show
nostalgic ensemble portrait of American social divisions and idealism during the late 1960s
Short Cuts
interlocking character stories using a major public event to explore race, class, marriage, and national anxiety
Movie Details
- Director
- Emilio Estevez
- Release Date
- 2006-09-05
- Runtime
- 120 min
- Rating
- 6.4 / 10 (434)
Cast
- Anthony Hopkins
- William H. Macy
- Harry Belafonte
- Freddy Rodríguez
- Laurence Fishburne
- Heather Graham
- Lindsay Lohan
- Shia LaBeouf
- Christian Slater
- Sharon Stone
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Bobby about?
- An earnest ensemble portrait of strangers and insiders converging at Los Angeles's Ambassador Hotel on the eve of a defining political tragedy.
- What is Bobby like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Bobby as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Bobby violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Bobby as mild.
- What did critics think of Bobby?
- Critics found the film ambitious and sincere, with an energetic ensemble and timely political ideals, but widely faulted its melodramatic, overly expositional subplots and uneven dramatic focus.
- Which films are like Bobby?
- Films with a similar feel include Nashville, Grand Hotel, The Last Picture Show, and Short Cuts.
- How long is Bobby?
- Bobby runs 120 minutes.
- Where can I watch Bobby?
- In United States, Bobby streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.
