Parkland

Open Road Films | Release Date: October 4, 2013

6.4	USER SCORE Generally favorable reviews based on 32 Ratings

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TVJerryOct 9, 2013

This drama follows several perspectives around events in Dallas after JFK was assassinated. Among them: the hospital where Kennedy and Oswald were rushed, Zapruder and his famous film, the travails of Oswald's family, the FBI and SecretThis drama follows several perspectives around events in Dallas after JFK was assassinated. Among them: the hospital where Kennedy and Oswald were rushed, Zapruder and his famous film, the travails of Oswald's family, the FBI and Secret Service in the aftermath. It blends a hand-held documentary style and hectic pacing to tell a compelling story. The large cast is peppered with notable actors, including Paul Giamatti, Zac Efron, Billy Bob Thornton and Marcia Gay Harden, and they help focus the impact. This is not a straightforward narrative, but a montage of events. Still, it proves a fascinating (and for me, informative) look behind the scenes of one of the most memorable days in 20th century America.… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

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bobnewsomNov 24, 2013

A gripping and moving film focussing on the aftermath of the murder, not who did it or why. Very humane in its portrayal of the people involved, with some memorable scenes the two bloody operating theatre sequences, the men struggling toA gripping and moving film focussing on the aftermath of the murder, not who did it or why. Very humane in its portrayal of the people involved, with some memorable scenes the two bloody operating theatre sequences, the men struggling to lift the coffin into the plane, Oswalds bleak burial. Thankfully no conspiracy theries in sight.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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python2000Dec 16, 2013

Possibly the most underrated movie of the year so far. It's not the most unpredictable or memorable film possible to be made about JFK's assassination, but very tense and much cleverer than I expected. The cast is not exactly flawless and farPossibly the most underrated movie of the year so far. It's not the most unpredictable or memorable film possible to be made about JFK's assassination, but very tense and much cleverer than I expected. The cast is not exactly flawless and far from all star, but very impressive. I never thought I would say this, but Zac Effron is the best actor in the movie. He perfectly conveys how scared and clueless the doctors treating Kennedy's wounds were. The plot is very similar, while it's not the most exciting story and moves much slower than the viewer would prefer, it's very intelligent and when it needs to be incredibly tense. Some scenes do feel out of place and totally unnecessary, they do not add to the story at all, but it's not enough to ruin the whole experience.
While the plot does get muddled up at some points and not every scene is as exciting as you would hope, Parkland is a very intelligent drama/documentary which occasionally has you on the edge of your seat and uses it's not so A list cast very well.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

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CynicalJohnsonOct 22, 2013

Pretty sure I almost fell asleep during this. Why was Zac Efron even in this? Who knows. What I do know is that I'll never get the time back that I spent watching Parkland.

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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ThegodfathersonOct 15, 2013

Parkland ISNT JFK. So, don't go in the theatre expecting an Oliver Stone expreriance. First of all, Billy Bob Thornton is the main thing that makes this movie, his excellent and speechless performance is compelling to the film and helps itsParkland ISNT JFK. So, don't go in the theatre expecting an Oliver Stone expreriance. First of all, Billy Bob Thornton is the main thing that makes this movie, his excellent and speechless performance is compelling to the film and helps its cheesy cast. Zac Efron sucks, we know that right guys? In this movie he does bad and bad. That's all I have to say about this douche. Parkland is about the assasination of John. F. Kennedy, and how a guy named Zapruder filmed the brutal shooting. Oliver Stone's JFK was great but this movie based on the same substance and fails to succeed. More like a documentary, Parkland emerges into the killing into a horrible way and pukes at its story and direction. Zac Efron sucked but Paul Gimmati was good and Thornton was da bomb. This movie could have been handled but failed. The ending is sober and bitter and doesn't help either. Parkland is the worst president films ever made and fails at the box office. It's very rushed with a lot of stories. Not refreshing.… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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PavementNov 17, 2013

What a load of irrelevant crap!
Parkland gives tiny superficial glimpses of tiny parts of the perspectives of a handful of individuals in Dallas:
the young doctors and nurses at Parkland Hospital; Dallas’s chief of the Secret Service;What a load of irrelevant crap!
Parkland gives tiny superficial glimpses of tiny parts of the perspectives of a handful of individuals in Dallas:
the young doctors and nurses at Parkland Hospital;
Dallas’s chief of the Secret Service;
Abraham Zapruder;
the FBI agents who were visited by Lee Harvey Oswald before the shooting;
the brother of Lee Harvey Oswald, left to deal with his shattered family;
and JFK’s security team, witnesses to both the president’s death and Vice President Lyndon Johnson’s rise to power.

Apparently Oswald said practically nothing to his brother when they had a conversation in the police station.
He didn't claim innocence or guilt.
Was this encounter fictionalized?
The film is "based on the true events" which means absolutely nothing.

Emory Roberts seems to be the only one blamed for any wrongdoing that has opened the events up to conspiracy theories. He is shown to have been the main man preventing an autopsy at Parkland hospital.

These were the only 2 elements of the film that were even remotely interesting.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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MRSMDec 5, 2013

This movie was possibly the most "Mr State The Obvious" Minimalistic movie in the industry, it had a very "heard this story" type feel to it and i fell asleep about twice. Definitely not worth watching.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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Tss5078Jul 1, 2015

Based on Vincent Bugliosi's book, Four Days in November, the film Parkland chronicles the events following the assassination of JFK. What I liked about this film was how it tells a part of the story that isn't widely known. From the doctorsBased on Vincent Bugliosi's book, Four Days in November, the film Parkland chronicles the events following the assassination of JFK. What I liked about this film was how it tells a part of the story that isn't widely known. From the doctors at the hospital, working on the President, to the acquisition of the Zapruder film, Parkland goes behind the scenes to tell the untold story. I was also impressed with how the film managed to stick to the facts and not dwell on any of the conspiracy theories that surround the case. Zac Efron stars and really wasn't all that great. I think that Efron needs to stick to what he does best, taking his cloths off and making people laugh. While the film is kind of slow, I really enjoyed Paul Giamatti's portrayal of Abraham Zapruder, the man who filmed the assassination. Zapruder really struggled with releasing the tape to the media and the events he witnessed ultimately destroyed his life. Giamatti's portrayal of the man is supposedly spot on and truly deserves an honor mention. Parkland gives us a lot of new information about the events that followed the assassination of President Kennedy, but a lot of it are things the general public really aren't that interested in learning about. For a Kennedy aficionado, this film must of been eye opening, as for the rest of us, it was an interesting, non-bias view of history, albeit a little boring.… Expand