Joe Bell

You knew this was going to be a sad movie, so don't complain about it. You knew it dealt with the subject of LGBT, so if you don't like it, why did you watch it?

The most important thing this movie shows us is just a taste of some of the nastiness bullied people endure. Only a taste. Such a shame because it is the bullies who are truly flawed.

In this film, the parents are supportive. Well, it is 2022. Think of all the bullied kids who had no one on their side or no one to turn to. If you can't sympathize, why did you bother watching the film?

I just can't understand the low ratings, and the critics saying that "this could have been a powerful movie". Did we watch the same movie? Hell yeah it's powerful, hell yeah it's emotional! It's well acted and the movie has a great atmosphere. It's quite simple to follow, and the flashbacks are well placed...So, nothing less than 8!

Mark Wahlberg acts his ass off in this one. No guns or aliens or spies to hide behind. This is a brilliant performance. And the young actor Reid Miller is amazing. Connie Britten was better than ever and child Maxwell Jenkins steals a scene or two.

Not for the faint of heart or light viewing. 8/10.

Going in, I had an idea how this movie would play out. A dad version of the Sigourney Weaver film Prayers For Bobby came to mind. But this was different. Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg) certainly made his mistakes but tried his best to love and accept his son's sexuality despite the backdrop of intolerant rural Oregon. His subsequent trek across the country with his anti bullying message was a journey by foot but also an emotional and cathartic one.

I didn't know this true story and I recommend that you don't read up on it before the film. I'm glad I didn't because a couple of times the story went in a direction that was completely unexpected. One, a smart director choice. The second, a tragic reality.

Performances were strong across the board. Mark Wahlberg has come a long way as an actor and he delivers an excellent performance here. Reid Miller who plays his son Jaden was also outstanding.

Will the right people see this and be impacted by it? Probably not. Nevertheless, it's a moving story that deserves to be told.

I went into this knowing only it's based on a true story and Wahlberg is walking across America because his gay son was bullied. I never even saw the trailer, and to be honest, I held off until there was nothing better to watch to see this film, only to laugh at Wahlberg playing the dad of a gay son (the last actor I'd expect to play that role), and expected it to be boring and not even finish the film - based on the reviews I read.

Man, was I wrong. This film hits every nerve, with some shocks and gut-punches. It's about much more than the plot summary states. It is very powerful, and will leave you emotional way past the closing credits. I truly am shocked at some of the critics reviews; instead of nitpicking, they should've sat back, followed the events of this true story, and read between the lines for some very powerful messages. There is so much more to this film than meets the eye.

I actually enjoyed the way the story was told, and the flashbacks were placed perfectly. The directing and cinematography was spot-on, and the screenplay was excellent. The 94 min runtime was just right, and the pacing couldn't have been better. The score and soundtrack were perfect, and that last song will just keep tugging at your heart-strings as the credits roll by.

Casting and performances were outstanding, and although Wahlberg should've used some onions to shed some real tears in a few scenes, his tone, facial expressions and demeanor in my opinion made his performance Oscar-worthy.

This is a must-see film for every father out there, regardless of your beliefs or religion. I feel this film is one of the most powerful films - based on true events, of the decade. It's a well deserved 9/10 from me. Again, wow.