Bruce Greenwood didn't really play Kennedy very well in the movie, but the screenplay of the movie was excellent nonetheless. It moves very quickly without getting mired in detail, which is a tendency in movies that recreate actual events. It hit all of the strategic concerns revolving around the Missile Crisis. Really this event was the turning point in the Cold War. Policymakers came to grips with the fact that nuclear annihilation was a very real possibility with escalating conflict. Thirteen Days very accurately portrayed the myriad of potential solutions to the deadlock like war with the Soviets or a blockade. The Joint Chiefs wanted war while the civilian leadership was more cautious. If you want a peek at how official Washington operates, take a look at this movie. The movie portrays the high point of the Kennedy administration, one that has a decidedly mixed record (sorry Redoedo). He got off to a very slow start but I would say that this was his baptismal by fire. He played hardball with the Soviets after this. The Cuban Missile Crisis also really changed the whole dynamic of the Cold War. The realities of nuclear annihilation became a very real, tangible possibility. The US and the Soviets had to improve relations or else there would have been a nuclear exchange; something that wouldn't have benefitted anyone at the end of the day. So anyways, minus Greenwood's bad portrayal of Kennedy, I would say it's a great movie.