Parkland - C

Rated PG-13, 93 minutes

Forgettable "Parkland" an unfocused view of tragic events

Paul Giamatti and Billy Bob Thornton

The mediocre new drama “Parkland” is the latest feature film about the Kennedy assassination, its release timed for the 50^th anniversary of the tragic events. The large ensemble film based on the book “Four Days in November: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy” by Vincent Bugliosi wisely stays away from conspiracy theories, but the unfocused, shoddy film is stuffed with too many characters and plotlines. “Parkland” weaves together the perspectives of some individuals suddenly thrust into extraordinary circumstances: the young doctors and nurses (Zac Efron, Colin Hanks, Marcia Gay Harden) at Dallas' Parkland Hospital; Dallas’ Chief of the Secret Service (Billy Bob Thornton) who tracks down Abraham Zapruder (Paul Giamatti) who unwittingly captured what became the most famous home movie in history; the FBI agents (Ron Livingston, David Harbour) who were visited by Lee Harvey Oswald before the shooting; the brother and mother (James Badge Dale and Jacki Weaver) of Lee Harvey Oswald, left to pick up pieces; and JFK’s security team (Mark Duplass and Tom Welling), witnesses to the life-changing tragedy. Co-produced by actors Tom Hanks and Bill Paxton with direction and screenplay by Peter Landesman in his feature film debut, “Parkland” (which was filmed mostly in Austin rather than Dallas) has a few compelling moments but is a weak, overly ambitious effort that would've been more effective as a TV miniseries, with more time to explore all the people presented in the film.  Landesman's scattered direction and script doesn't really focus on one, creating an uneven flow with so many characters coming in and out; even its most powerful scene, the sequence in which the hospital staff attempt to save Kennedy, is probably overstated from the real events (Kennedy was essentially dead by the time he arrived to the hospital). Of the large ensemble, the most memorable is Giamatti as an emotional Zapruder and TV actor Dale, who plays Oswald's brother with heartfelt pensiveness. "Parkland" is an unusual name for the film given the unfortunate hospital and its characters the weakest aspects of the film. Even more unfortunate is that “Parkland” the movie is a forgettable attempt to honor someone as memorable as Kennedy.  For a more entertaining effort on the same subject, check out Oliver Stone’s 1991 film “JFK.” 
 
Wes's Grade: C