An American Affair

Usually I 'm ahead of the curve and anticipate movies with Gretchen Mol.  This one, the neighbors told me about and how much they enjoyed the period piece. An American Affair was released in 2009, written by Willaim Olsson and directed by Alex Metcalf.
The plot:
A maturing teenager of 13 notices the seducty beauty of his neighbor acrosss the street.  he interest leads him into actions of curiosity that border on voyerism. The woman is mature and active with more than one partner, she is also friendly to her young admirer in a mature parental and proper manner. She shows respect and understanding.  In the boys curiosity, he learns that Catherine is involved with the president. Later by way of reading Catherine's diary, this is confirmed.  While all of this is growing in the boy's personality, the Bay of Pigs and the Presidential assisination is unfolding.  The two are linked and the CIA is involved.  Catherine, because of her relationships with JFK, Cuban contacts and the CIA is left in a dangerous position.  When knowledge of her diaries is learned by the CIA, proof that there is linkage, Catherine is doomed.  In short order the woman is murdered and her diaries destroyed.  The movie ends with the boy receiving a package in the mail, this is a segmented painted portrait of the boy.  Something that doubt a real man would have saved for the rest of his live.
The primary actors were:

• Gretchen Mol as Catherine Caswell. A semi fictional character, who divorced from a CIA operative, is one of JFK's mistresses. A woman with bohemian artistic tastes and a very interesting past.
• Cameron Bright as Adam Stafford. Plays the 13 year old admirer of the beautiful neighbor Catherine. A busy actor for a young man of 17, not a lot that is noteworthy.
• James Rebhorn as Lucian Carver. Easy to recognize but harder to place, this man is a common character actor who here plays the heavy, director of the CIA.
• Noah Wyle as Mike Stafford.  The original ER cast member her plays the father of the

Grading, 44 out of 50, highly recommended:

• Character Development, 9 of 10. The boy comes to understand that adults are flawed, goverments are even more. and women are beautiful and interesting.
• Screenplay, 9 of 10. Uses reports from real life and myths of Camelot to create a real feeling to the plot.
• Acting, 8 of 10. Wyle was better than the expected, Reborn about the same as in everything else he does, the focus of the movie on the woman and the boy is where the best work is performed.
• Photography, 8 of 10. Filmed in Georgetown, many of the camera shots gave a narrow feel of the brownstones, perhaps reflecting the closing in of life on the teenager.
• Plot, 10 of 10.  Tops.