O Caso Richard Jewell

Any "normal person" who has ever been involved as the subject of a targeted media story can tell you reporters can be monsters. Never an apology, rarely a correction, they just move on the the next story leaving a wake of destruction.

"Richard Jewell" (2019 release; 125 min.) brings the story of the suspected 1996 Atlanta bomber. As the movie opens, it is "1986 Atlanta" and Jewell is working as a supply room manager in a small law firm. He gets to know one of the lawyers,, Watson Bryant. We then go to "1996 Piedmont College" where Jewell is working as a security officer but he really sees himself as a law enforcer. Eventually, just months before the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, he is fired by Piedmont's President... At this point we are 10 min. into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from director/producer Client Eastwood. Here he brings the story of Richard Jewell, whom you may recall was a security officer at Atlanta's Centennial Park the night a bomb attack killed 2 and wounded many more. For reasons the movie reveals in great details (but I don't want to spoil for you), Jewell becomes a "person of interest" and the frantic media jump on the story. It is frankly incredibly frightening when you put it all into context and see how a man's life gets mauled. Per the usual, Eastwood does a great job to keep the movie going forward. The all- star ensemble cast is incredible: Paul Walter Hauser IS Richard Jewell, and Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde are equally outstanding. This movie was filmed in the Spring of this year, and now barely 6 months later, it is already in theaters.

"Richard Jewell" premiered wide this weekend, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at here in Cincinnati was attended dismally (4 people exactly), much to my surprise. If you have any interest to see how the 1996 Atlanta bombing played out, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater, on VOD, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.

I have experience dealing with the Feds and found this movie incredibly compelling. So much about this movie hit home for me. Just a few examples, when the Feds came to talk to Jewell and tried to make him sign shady documents, bugging his home, the slick self-righteous agent who thinks he decides who is right and wrong, cleaning out his home supposedly looking for evidence, wasting time on easy, harmless suspects instead of finding the real criminals to boost their career. It's sad. All that time spent looking at Richard Jewell as a suspect while the real terrorist got away. They knew he was innocent, all they had to do was actually do some actual investigative, science-based investigative work instead of using confirmation bias.

Can you imagine what would have happened if Jewell didn't have access to a great lawyer or had the law enforcement background to spot the tricks the Feds were using? He would probably have been in prison until his death, which is nuts. At no point did anyone use common sense and point out that there was absolutely no evidence this guy was involved. They were looking for an easy mark.

It just shows that reform is needed drastically. I've always thought that many in American law enforcement are not educated, which leads to this sort of thing happening too often. Then you have the for-profit prison system which encourages all the corruption in the justice system to begin with.

If I had kids, I'd definitely show them this movie and point out all the things Jewell did wrong and what to do in a situation like this. It should be mandatory to show in Civics classes, TBH.

This movie is a great wake up call about the media. I wasn't going to leave a review until I read the media outcry about the film. I believe in a strong and free media but for all the good can they do, they can also be a self-serving destructive force.

This movie nicely brings that point across without getting into politics. Perhaps if Eastwood hadn't used real names of reporters and newspapers, there might have been less media blowback. But ... it's kind of like they're getting a taste of their own medicine. So it's unfortunate that they're targeted - perhaps with some fictionalization, but you can see how they scramble and plead "unfair" when the tables are turned ... like they were with Jewell.

I remember the news reports about Richard Jewell when the bombing occurred. I only recall that he was said to have discovered something about the bombing and then he was suddenly in trouble for being the prime suspect. The impression I got was that he was a troubled person and guilty -- never heard what happened afterward and never gave it any more thought.

It was amazing to watch this movie and see the events that actually transpired. It's definitely a worthwhile movie to see because it's both captivating and based on real events. Keep in mind that like any movie, some aspects are fictionalized, but the core story isn't. It's scary and real.

Let me begin with stating, how the hell did'nt this make it to Best Picture? How the hell did'nt P.W. Hauser nor Rockwell get a nomination for their work?

Richard Jewell is a true amazing story of the reality and sadness of the american system in relation to crimes. There is always an immediate search for someone to blame after a crime happens.

Performances drive the film. Paul Walter Hauser did an astonishing work, having into account both his resemblance to the real Jewell and his amazing acting skills which yet remain unkown to many. Sam Rockwell is one of the best actors working these days, and he should've gotten his 3rd nomination in a row for Best Supporting Actor. Kathy Bates did incredible, she was true and relatable. Others such as Jon Hamm and Olivia Wilde properly fulfilled the picture's ensemble as well.

Clint Eastwood is simply amazing. Being in the industry for over 70 years and still managing to impress. The plot is handled with intensity, and thrilling scenes are to remain in my memory. Though he did a great work, some particular blocking and editing disconnected me for brief moments. Nevertheless, he handled a properly written script and brought a thought provoking story to life with the great aid of the casting chosen.

This film is captivating and gripping from the first scenes already, and it manages to keep you hooked and rooting for the good guys from the moment of the incident.

It's sad to remember this as a true story because it definitively shows how flawed the society we live in is.

Nevertheless, it works greatly as a cinematic piece and I would love to see it again.