One thing that surprised me was that the portrayal actually made Kennedy into a sympathetic/pathetic character. He showed moments of: extreme selfishness, cowardice, weakness (especially regarding his father), insecurity, remorse (calling the Kopechne's), and remorseless (taking a bath to relax, laying down on the bridge)and all the time, pure stupidity.
One role that is deserving of an Oscar nod is that of Bruce Dern as Joseph Kennedy. Favorite Line (he only had three):
(to Ted): "You will never be a great man."
How astute that was.
I saw it on Sunday. When Ted called the Kopechnes I didn’t take it as remorse, just something he had to do. The only remorse I think he felt was that it ruined his political aspirations. Meanwhile the movie did show that they prevented an autopsy on Mary Jo because she most likely died from asphyxiation not drowning. If Ted had reported it sooner she could have been saved.