Parkland 
Starring: Marcia Gay Harden, Zac Efron, Paul Giamatti, Mallory Moye, Ron Livingston, Billy Bob Thornton, Mark Duplass, Gil Bellows, David Harbour, Bitsie Tulloch, Sean McGraw, Brett Stimely, Colin Hanks
Directed by: Peter Landesman
Rated: PG-13
Run Time: 93 mins
Genre: Drama
Opens October 4th
By Lisa Minzey of The Reel Critic.com
Hey Phoenix Film Fans! This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination. “Parkland” features an all-star cast led by Marcia Gay Harden, Paul Giamatti and Zac Efron. This film focuses on the people that were behind the scenes in trying to save President Kennedy’s life and those trying to bring his killer to justice. Did the filmmakers give these people the respect they deserve or is this film just another one to blend in with the annals of history?
Recounting the events of November 22,193 and the three days following, “Parkland” gives a voice to the people that worked feverously behind the scenes trying to make sense of the assassination of President Kennedy. Parkland Hospital was the focal point of the nation for two days as it catered to trying to save President Kennedy and his accused assassin Lee Harvey Oswald. The same team that attempted to save President Kennedy was comprised of Dr. Charles “Jim” Carrico (Zac Efron), Nurse Doris Nelson (Marcia Gay Hardin) and Dr. Malcolm Perry (Colin Hanks). Much to their dismay they had to turn around and help the accused mere hours later.
Also, featuring the investigation into the event, this film takes an inside look at the man who shot the famous footage of the shooting, Abraham Zapruder (Paul Giamatti); the FBI Agents that were profiling Oswald, Agent James Hosty (Ron Livingston) and Agent Gordon Shanklin (David Harbour) and the Secret Service Agents detailed to the late president, Kenneth O”Donnell (Mark Duplass) and Rufus Youngblood (Nico Evers-Swindell).
For those that remember, experienced this tragic event or are a history buff, you may be intrigued by the stories presented in this film. It’s one thing to know the tragic main details but to hear and learn of the names and faces of the ones closely affected by this event makes it an emotional journey for the viewer. The cast assembled in this film is fantastic; each one deeply moving in their respective roles. Even the executive producers assembled is quite impressive - Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Gary Goetzman, Guy East, and Brian Falk to name a few. It shows on screen that a lot of care and compassion went into the making of this film. Be sure to check out “Parkland” opens in theaters nationwide starting Friday October 4, 2013.
