This article is co-written by Brady and Logan Drake.
Richard Jewell (2019) is a deeply powerful and emotional film that everyone and especially young adults should see. That's not something I say often, so savor that phrase.
This heroic man was classified and slandered by the media and many government agencies as the profiled bomber. Clint Eastwood commands this true story in an attempt to further clear the name of an American HERO.
On July 27, 1996, the Olympics were in full swing. However, that night a bomb would detonate killing two and injuring over 100 more. This is known as the Centennial Olympic Park Bombing. Thanks to the quick thinking of a temporary security guard named Richard Jewell, many lives were saved. Unfortunately, his deserved praise only lasted three days until the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and FBI changed everything.
This movie is packed with award-worthy performances. Kathy Bates has received a Golden Globe nomination and an Oscar nomination too. There is one particular scene where she is part of a press conference. She speaks about the horrors she's been enduring, and it really made me feel emotional. Also, I'd like to point out it made even the obnoxious people in the theater stop talking.
Next, Sam Rockwell plays Richard Jewell's lawyer, Watson Bryant. Rockwell is finally getting the recognition he deserves as an actor with many wins and nominations. This role is just as worthy. Instead of following the stereotype of many lawyers, Watson breaks away from the large firms. He wanted to pick his own clients and be an ethical servant to people in need. Richard turned out to be such a person in need.
Watson asks "Why'd you pick me to be your lawyer?" Jewell's response is "Because you were the only one who treated me like a human being and didn't call me names." Remember the golden rule? Treat others like you want to be treated. At one point, Watson told Richard "Don't call them sir all the time. No one in that room is better than you." He's not advocating boastfulness but self-confidence.
*Paul Walter Hauser is going places.* This recently discovered actor is the title character, Richard Jewell. Hauser gives the performance of a lifetime channeling the real-life man. The real Bobbi Jewell said, "He looks just like my son, even walks like him too." Mr. Jewell was not a perfect man. He had some quirks and imperfections, but that didn't make him a bad guy. In fact, most people would say it's the opposite. In the film, he genuinely cares about other people and still has a respect for authority. Towards the end, he questions the FBI's integrity. Scratch that, he questions the specific people's integrity in the FBI. If he had lost the desire for public service, he wouldn't have become a police officer again later in life.
Richard schools the interrogators by offering up what he predicts may happen. Someone may not want to become a "Richard Jewell" and will let a suspicious package go unchecked. Think of those consequences. Even after that, he cared about protecting people. Because Richard was caring and overcautious, he discovered a bomb and saved potentially hundreds of people.
Two more performances to mention come from Jon Hamm (Agent Shaw) and Olivia Wilde (Kathy Scruggs). Shaw, while wrong, targeted Jewell because he was at the park bombing and desired to catch the culprit thinking it's Jewell. Guilt was lying like lead inside him, and he needed to find the guy responsible. He just found the wrong one. Kathy got the information from the FBI and labeled Jewell as the main suspect. This set off an insane chain effect ruining his life. It's easy to hate her until she comes to a realization. Richard Jewell didn't do it. That's got to be a terrible feeling knowing you directly contributed to the bombardment of people's lives.
In technical terms, this movie is excellent. The cinematography is above average. Also, sound editing and mixing are superb. What's really impressive is the pacing. A movie like this can easily drag, but Clint Eastwood knows what to do. Speaking of, Eastwood and scriptwriter Billy Ray make room for unusual humor in a drama film. Doing that in depressing moments with precision is great filmmaking.
<<What I take away from this film is not about politics. It's about ethics and people.>> In this true story, it happens to be members of the media doing fictional storytelling and not reporting "facts" as they claim. Even today, these same organizations claimed they were in the right even with the truth out there. The point is to respect your fellow man, and think before you speak. People matter. The movie focuses on the characters, and that's why it is exceptional.
As of writing this article, Richard Jewell is our second favorite movie of 2019 (UPDATE, still is!). The point is for you to see this movie ASAP. Our movie rating is A+.
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