Written and directed by first-timer Peter Landesman, Parkland follows the events before, during, and after the infamous John F. Kennedy assassination. As someone familiar with the event only through small school lectures and the odd media event, Parkland brought to me an entirely new layer of the story that I had never seen before.
There are two sides to every story. Parkland gives us even more, showing the audience five different perspectives of the aftermath.
The first is at the Parkland Hospital, where Jim Carrico, played by Zac Efron, operates on both John F. Kennedy and his killer.
Another story arc follows Abraham Zapruder, a citizen who happens to take footage of the shooting on his 8mil camera.
Forrest Sorrells, played by Billy Bob Thornton, is a secret service agent who tracks down Zapruder to retrieve the footage for investigation.
James Hosty, played by Ron Livingston, is an FBI agent who was watching Kennedy’s assassin for weeks before the killing.
Finally, the film follows the assassin’s estranged brother, Robert Oswald, who is furious at his brother’s actions and tries to keep his family together.
The film captures you from start to finish with its haunting atmosphere and unique style of thrill and suspense motivated through its actors, sharp editing, cinematography, and script. The opening sequence alone deserves praise for how smoothly Landesman meshes footage from the actual event with his own recreation.
“Even with the film’s ensemble cast, no one provides more chills or interest than Kat Steffans.”
Technical aspects of the film aside, the acting here is astounding; big time veterans Giamatti, Thornton, Dale, and Harden give great performances as usual, while Efron and Smallville’s Tom Welling prove they can take on dramatic roles.
Even with the film’s ensemble cast, no one provides more chills or interest than Kat Steffans, who plays Jackie Kennedy, and Jackie Weaver, who takes on Oswald’s ever-faithful mother, Marguerite.
Steffans, though she doesn’t have any lines throughout the film, gives a haunting performance of a broken woman who has lost the man she loves most. Weaver shows us just how far denial can seep in and cloud a person’s judgment of the truth.
However, no film is without its flaws and Parkland sure has its share. The emotional connection to almost every character is lost by the end of the film, especially when generic biopic “here’s where they are now” descriptions roll through the credits.
Nevertheless, the film is certainly one I would recommend seeing at the festival or otherwise, if not solely for the acting, then for its unique take on a well-known story, and to see Billy Bob Thornton cry.
Spencer Creaghan
Contributor
