Comments on: Venice Review: JFK Drama ‘Parkland’ Starring Zac Efron, Billy Bob Thornton & Jacki Weaver

By: Jon Robert Wayne

Jon Robert Wayne — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

This could have been such a better movie. I read V. Bugliosi's book from which the book was drawn from and, like the filmmakers, was fascinated by the stories of the ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances on that terrible day fifty years ago. Regarding the 'coffin scene', the funeral director, obviously unaware of the practical needs of transporting the president's body, was more concerned about providing his very best of coffins for the president – according to Bugliosi, it weight several hundred pounds – hence the unintentionally funny scene on air force one – this just being one of many embarrassing episodes as it made its way to Bethesda hospital.

By: Victoria Thompson

Victoria Thompson — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Excellent Movie. Realistic, Factual, Intense, Committed, Suspense-filled, Secret-unfolding, Action Packed, the right actor for each role with superb continuity, extreme respect for the President, all in all a very emotionally evoking film that made me feel as if I were there with views into private lives not previously shared. Admiral Burkley portrayed by Gary Clarke was an unexpectedly important role.

By: Sue Grace

Sue Grace — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Dr. Carrico was a licensed second-year resident when he treated President Kennedy. He was not present when Oswald was brought in. Get your facts straight!

By: mark crane

mark crane — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

The most important clue to the JFK assassination can be found by searching Youtube for Folksteady.

By: me

me — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Hard to believe that a movie with this pedigree behind and in front of the camera is actually as bad as this "reviewer" says (the tell-tale giveaway? Lyttleton makes the supremely amateurish mistake of saying at the end that another movie (about the Oswalds) should have been made instead).

Somehow I get the feeling this column was written by someone who was brought up on Transformer and Die Hard movies, so a film such as this is beyond their comprehension.

By: Alan B

Alan B — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

James Badge Dale is a god. End of.

By: james

james — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Giamatti pretty much ruins anything he is in. He is up there with Eckhart and Wright as the worst over-actors working today.

By: Kevin

Kevin — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

You are absolutely right. The Dealey Plaza scene was shot, in part, in 1 day in Dallas with only Giamatti. The rest was shot in Austin.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Hoped this would be close in quality to JFK. Unfortunately it appears to be far closer to the recent debacle that was Bobby.

By: Pandera

Pandera — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

What may be just as interesting as the conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination is the backstory of the hospital where JFK died, Parkland Memorial Hospital. Parkland is not only the place where the President died, but also where his assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, died and where Oswald's assassin, Jack Ruby, died.

Just consider that a doctor resident-in-training, Dr. James Carrico, was the first care taker to receive both JFK and Oswald at Parkland while no licensed doctor was around. That's what you get when trainees are there to do the work of licensed doctors.

Parkland has come under intense fire from government health care regulators recently and are on 7 straight years of federal probation for patient care lapses and billing fraud.

You can read about the back story about Parkland on the website, "The Parkland Orgy of Death."

By: Nelly

Nelly — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

The Hollywood Reporter's review looks pretty good though,it's like you're not watching the same film…

By: juanita

juanita — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

My classmate's ex-wife makes says this movie sucks too unfortunately. And she runs a Zac fansite in Botswana.

By: CARY

CARY — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Yes. James Badge Dale deserves better movie.

By: weetiger3

weetiger3 — Fri, 13 May 2016 09:09:30 +0000

Wow. I wasn't expecting greatness (I got my first hint of trouble when I saw the trailer with Marcia Gay Harden telling Zac Efron that he was in charge – or something to that effect. Seriously? Zac Efron?), but I will, of course, have to see this for myself. Wasting a cast and a premise this good should be a crime.