11.22.63 Review: Is It Worth Watching?

It is always a difficult task to adapt a book into a visual medium. While making a movie out of it makes the story feels rushed, and fans complain about missing details, studios have moved towards producing limited series.

11.22.63 is the output of such a venture by HULU, based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King.

1. Quick Review

While the premise of 11.22.63 is enough for anyone to perk their ears for conspiracy theories, the best parts of this series are not political or related to JFK.

What the mini-series gets right is the setting and the historical accuracy of the characters. James Franco plays an empathetic teacher who is not the best choice for a time-traveling secret agent but can bring out the best in other characters.

Certain parts of the book have been completely omitted, but the visuals succeed in compensating for them. The supporting cast also turns in superb performances, which make 11.22.63 worth watching.

2. Info & Watch Links

3. Is It Worth Watching?

The combination of time-travel and conspiracy theories makes 11.22.63 a confusing and muddled watch. The show seems puzzled about the impact of Franco’s mission, and how reluctant to tell how the story would play out afterward. There are numerous detours and subplots crammed into the 8-episode runtime, which dulls the series’ political themes.

11.22.63 | Teaser Trailer (Official) | Hulu

I. Plot

The story revolves around Jake, a schoolteacher in the present who cares a lot about his friends and loved ones. He is a great friend and an emphatic listener and always tries to find solutions to people’s problems.

His friend Al, a Vietnam veteran, invites him to his diner and lets him in on a secret. He tells him that the closet at the back of the restaurant is a portal that can transport you into the past.

Al wants Jake to use the portal and stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy on the 22nd of November 1963. Al says that he wants to make the United States a better place, and he believes that if Kennedy doesn’t die, Johnson won’t succeed him. He thinks this will bring a hasty conclusion to the Vietnam War and prosperity to the States.

Franco takes the trip back and starts monitoring Lee Harvey Oswald, the assassin behind JFK’s death, to determine whether he is acting alone or with someone. There are also many references to the CIA for the conspiracy buffs. Jake partners up with Bill Turcotte, who becomes his partner and confidant as they try to stop the famous assassination.

II. Setting

Stephen King’s extensive research shines through as 11.22.63 recreates historical characters and events in the good old days of Dallas with historical accuracy. Franco’s character engages others in conversations and brings out the best details about their personal lives and the times that they live in.

The series has the appropriate amount of I’ m-from-the-future references and jokes as Franco accidentally slips up and is forced to lie many times. His cell phone falls out of his pocket, and there are numerous pop culture references to make the present-day viewer smile.

III. Cast & Performances

Jake, played by James Franco, is the kind of person who is always looking out for you and is willing to lend a helping hand. This makes him a bad choice for a secret mission as he has a hard time staying focused on the job at hand, but it is easy for the show to bounce of Jake and jump into detours and subplots.

An episode titled The Kill Floor focuses on Jake trying to prevent a present-day student of his from dying at the hands of his abusive father. While the episode has nothing to do with JFK’s assassination, it is a tense, terrific hour of cinema with Josh Duhamel playing the boy’s evil father to perfection.

Sarah Gadon plays Jake’s love interest in the past, and Lucy Fry plays Marina Oswald, both of them turning in fabulous performances behind the leading men. George Mackay’s Bill helps us get into the mind of Jake, as he is used to bouncing ideas and plan out things that are written as Jake’s thoughts in the books.

4. Grade

5. Final Thoughts

11.22.63 is a hotchpotch mix of political conspiracy, time travel, and a thriller, which makes the show’s objective unclear till the very end. But, the series is entertaining and certainly unique. If you like the premise, you would be better off reading the book, as the show tries but fails to capture the essence of the Stephen King novel.