While "Klute" and "All the President's Men" are well-remembered, "The Parallax View" is all but forgotten, perhaps unfairly. It has a lot to recommend, despite being a fair deal weaker than the other two.
Its strengths are in Pakula's direction, as crisp and precise and clinical as always (he was always exceptional at using subtle shots to indicate paranoia), and an interesting and rather unusual plot. Especially unconventional is the ending, which is unexpected but perfect.
But in the other two films, Pakula did not feel a need for elaborate and improbable action set pieces, like car crashes and people being swept away by white water on display here. These are truly unnecessary and detract from the rest of the film by making it less plausible. "All the President's Men" was more disturbing simply with the knowledge that these things did happen, and worst yet, could happen again.
Its strengths are in Pakula's direction, as crisp and precise and clinical as always (he was always exceptional at using subtle shots to indicate paranoia), and an interesting and rather unusual plot. Especially unconventional is the ending, which is unexpected but perfect.
But in the other two films, Pakula did not feel a need for elaborate and improbable action set pieces, like car crashes and people being swept away by white water on display here. These are truly unnecessary and detract from the rest of the film by making it less plausible. "All the President's Men" was more disturbing simply with the knowledge that these things did happen, and worst yet, could happen again.