6.4/10
Senior Film Conservator

A definitive 6.4/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Flirting in the Park remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for silent-era slapstick and don’t mind a plot that’s thinner than the lake water itself. If you’re looking for high-stakes drama, you’re in the wrong place. But if you want to see people lose their pants—literally—in a park, pull up a chair.
It’s not quite on the level of Ship Ahoy when it comes to nautical chaos, but it’s got its own frantic energy. It moves fast, which is good because there isn't really a story to hold onto.
The whole premise is just a setup for people falling over. The boat race is basically just an excuse to get everyone wet and miserable. You can tell the actors are having a blast, even when they’re clearly just doing the same pratfall for the fifth time.
There is a specific moment where one of the girls loses her dress, and the way the camera lingers on the sheer confusion of everyone involved is just wild. It feels like the director just shouted 'go' and hoped for the best. 🛶
You can tell the movie isn't trying to change the world. It’s just trying to fill fifteen minutes with people running around looking silly. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
Some of the reactions shots feel decades too long. Like, we get it, you're embarrassed. You don't need to stare into the middle distance for a full thirty seconds. It becomes funny in a way I don't think they intended.
It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s definitely not high art. But it’s got that specific charm that only these old, dusty comedies seem to have. Just don't go in expecting a logical progression of events. Just enjoy the wet clothes.