Watch Parked
- 2011
- 1 hr 34 min
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6.7 (2,762)
"Parked" is a poignant, character-driven drama from Ireland that explores the themes of loneliness, addiction, and redemption. The movie stars Colin Morgan as Fred, a sensitive and introverted man who has been living in his car for the past two years after losing his job and his apartment. He parks his car at a seaside parking lot in Dublin and spends his days watching the waves, feeding the birds, and trying to forget his troubled past.
One day, Fred meets a young woman named Cathal (played by Milka Ahlroth), who is also homeless and living in her van. Despite their initial mistrust and awkwardness, Fred and Cathal gradually form a bond based on their shared struggles and their mutual desire for connection and hope. As they spend more time together, they discover that they have more in common than they thought, including their love of music and their dreams of a better life.
However, their newfound friendship is threatened by the arrival of Conor (played by Colm Meaney), an older and gruff man who also parks his camper van in the same lot. Conor is initially hostile to Fred and Cathal, but he gradually reveals his own tragic past and his own struggle with addiction. As the three of them interact and clash, they are forced to confront their own demons and their own choices, and to find a way to move forward.
"Parked" is a low-key and intimate movie that relies heavily on atmosphere and emotion rather than plot twists or action sequences. The director, Darragh Byrne, uses the bleak and empty parking lot as a powerful symbol of isolation and despair, and he contrasts it with the beauty and serenity of the sea and the sky. The cinematography is understated and naturalistic, capturing the mundane details of Fred and Cathal's daily routine as well as the moments of grace and joy that they find in each other's company.
The acting in the movie is uniformly excellent, with Colin Morgan delivering a subtle and nuanced performance as Fred. Morgan portrays Fred as a man who is both fragile and resilient, who is haunted by his past but who is also able to find solace and hope in the present. He has a great chemistry with Milka Ahlroth, who plays Cathal as a quirky and free-spirited young woman who is trying to find her own identity and purpose. Ahlroth and Morgan have many touching and humorous scenes together, and their relationship feels authentic and natural.
Colm Meaney is also impressive as Conor, the grizzled and cynical veteran who is initially hostile to Fred and Cathal but who gradually reveals his own vulnerability and humanity. Meaney brings a lot of depth and complexity to his portrayal of Conor, showing that he is not just a stereotypical antagonist but a complicated and flawed human being.
Overall, "Parked" is a moving and thoughtful movie that explores some of the most fundamental human emotions and experiences. It is a movie that asks big questions about loneliness, addiction, and the possibility of redemption, but it never loses sight of the small pleasures and moments of connection that make life worth living. It is a movie that reminds us that even in the darkest of times, there is always a glimmer of hope and beauty in the world.
Parked is a 2011 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.7 and a MetaScore of 47.