The Park Bench

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2:01

The Park Bench

2015

1h 23m

Romance

Comedy

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4 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

Sparks fly between a Latino student (Walter Perez) and a neurotic tutor (Nicole Hayden) who meets him three times a week to help him pass a literature class.

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Roxana Hadadi

Punch Drunk Critics

01/09/2017

2.5/5

The Park Bench has some moments of genuine emotion, and the falling-in-love-over-literature idea is a solid one. But it never attempts to be more than a product of its genre, and in that way, The Park Bench is too limited for its own good.

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Katie Walsh

Los Angeles Times

08/20/2015

A sweet tale with a smart storytelling device and charming performers, but not much more beyond the cute.

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Scott Tobias

Variety

08/20/2015

Despite winning performances, something about this wispy two-hander just doesn't sit right.

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Mae Abdulbaki

Movies with Mae

05/02/2019

2.5/5

LeSchander shows a lot of strength in her debut feature, but because of the unchanging setting, The Park Bench could have perhaps been better if it had been situated on a stage rather than onscreen.

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Danny H

07/13/2024

If you truly love books and film, and believe in the possibility of triumph over the mundane, you cannot watch this film without constantly feeling it tug at your heart. There are themes, bits of light comedy, touching moments, and just as a literary journey leads to unexpected discoveries, this honest depiction of an emotional journey, framed as if it was a modern retelling of the folk stories about love that the characters share with each other, keeps surprising, and enchanting, those whose spirits can open enough to let it in, to allow it to live with the part of you that matters.

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12/10/2020

Beautiful. Want to find the soundtrack desperately.

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03/29/2020

Lots of good, interesting dialogue. A sweet little movie to watch to put a smile on your face!

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08/09/2019

I loved it. The acting was sensational. The story revealed the content of the tutoring, literature that Emily could teach well and that Mateo lived as truth. Emily was Prufrock -- until she wasn't. Walter Perez and Nicole Hayden were a great match with wonderful on-screen chemistry. Skillful plot development. I've watched it several times. The stories with the story enriched the characters and strengthened their growing connection. Thank you for this labor of love!

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11/19/2018

This movie surprised me with its winning performances and charm. As it moved along I was so engaged with the characters and felt like I was truly peeking in on a slice of life. They seemed so real that I became very invested in their relationship. I also loved the animation. I hope people will find this movie because it's a real gem.

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03/31/2017

What a gem of a movie! It may seem simple but it felt very real. I loved how the relationship evolved. And the stories they tell were really engaging. Very sweet!

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Ann LeSchander

Director

Walter Perez

Mateo

Nicole Hayden

Emily

Stella Maeve

Maribel

John Prosky

Professor McIntyre

Brian Mulligan

Birdwatcher

The Park Bench: Trailer 1

2:01

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Synopsis

Sparks fly between a Latino student (Walter Perez) and a neurotic tutor (Nicole Hayden) who meets him three times a week to help him pass a literature class.

Director: Ann LeSchander
Producer: Ann LeSchander, Angel Thompson, Walter Perez
Screenwriter: Ann LeSchander
Production Co: Angel Powers Productions, Cake & Ice Cream Productions
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 21, 2015, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 25, 2017
Runtime: 1h 23m

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