Parkland

Name: Parkland
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: October 4, 2013
Duration: 93 min
Rating: 51
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Giamatti, Tom Welling, Zac Efron

2013

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 35 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 27 Ratings

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PARKLAND

Movie Details & Credits

Open Road Films | Release Date: October 4, 2013

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Paul Giamatti, Tom Welling, Zac Efron

Summary: A recounting of the chaotic events that occurred at Dallas' Parkland Hospital on the day U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Director: Peter Landesman

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 93 min

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Critic Reviews

The Hollywood Reporter - Stephen Farber

Sep 16, 2013

Engrossing, quietly revelatory, and often profoundly moving as it retells a story we only thought we knew. Read full review

McClatchy-Tribune News Service - Roger Moore

Sep 30, 2013

Parkland is a fascinating insider’s view of those fateful two days in November of 1963, when a president was murdered, his assassin was gunned down in custody and generations of conspiracies were born. Read full review

New York Post - Kyle Smith

Oct 3, 2013

All of this is secondary, even tertiary material, even if much of it is interesting and even wrenching to behold. Read full review

The Dissolve - Nathan Rabin

Oct 2, 2013

Parkland finds a new angle on an exhaustively chronicled and debated subject by focussing on the grim practicalities of the situation. Read full review

RogerEbert.com - Godfrey Cheshire

Oct 4, 2013

Parkland expends lots of energy and expertise on re-creating these infamous events, yet it is so lacking in narrative purpose that many viewers are likely to leave muttering, "Okay…but so what?" Read full review

NPR - Ella Taylor

Oct 4, 2013

Awkward, incoherent and plodding. Read full review

The Playlist - Oliver Lyttelton

Sep 16, 2013

There's a pleasing egalitarianism to the film's history-through-the-eyes-of-the-ordinary-man concept, but the script rarely makes the case that their versions are compelling enough to warrant a film. Read full review

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User Reviews

bobnewsom

Nov 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 to lift the coffin into the plane, Oswalds bleakA 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

lukechristiansc

Mar 28, 2015

Okay i find it pretty shocking that critics are picking on the film, this a film is a tearjerker. Okay we all know the JFK assassination story, but this film is dark and mysterious, it is a movie were you think you know what's gonna happen but you really don't. Grade A

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

TVJerry

Oct 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 Secret Service in the aftermath. It blends a hand-heldThis 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

Tss5078

Jul 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 doctors at the hospital, working on the President, to theBased 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

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

beingryanjude

Sep 2, 2014

A telling of the moments surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Parkland approaches the subject via Emilio Estevez's Bobby--whereas JFK never makes an appearance and the story is told through witnesses and those affected by the tragedy. Key opportunities were completely missed andA telling of the moments surrounding the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Parkland approaches the subject via Emilio Estevez's Bobby--whereas JFK never makes an appearance and the story is told through witnesses and those affected by the tragedy. Key opportunities were completely missed and prevented the emotion it should have deserved.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

BrianMcCritic

Nov 16, 2013

This is an extremely average film that doesn't allow the audience to get past its paper thin amount of character development. I wish this film was as good as its actors. C

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Thegodfatherson

Oct 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 its cheesy cast. Zac Efron sucks, we know that rightParkland 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 3 users found this helpful03

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