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Our movie guy, James Finnegan, says Clint Eastwood’s directorial offering, ‘Richard Jewell’ is a stunning moral tale with excellent performances…
I LOVE Clint Eastwood films. He is a talent that acts, directs, produces and even, on occasion, composes the soundtrack.
I have been watching him since the Sergio Leone westerns, through the Dirty Harrys, all the way along the road calling at the likes of ‘In The Line of Fire’, ‘Mystic River’,’Invictus’, ‘Pale Rider’, ‘Changeling’, ‘Sully’ and, course, ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and ‘Unforgiven’.
The only films of his I don’t particularly care for are the ‘Any Which Way…’ films starring Clint and the orangutan, which are, ironically, his biggest commercial successes.
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There is a general theme among most of these films of the lone guy, standing on their own and being forced into a position or action against a far greater or more powerful authority.
This brings us to his latest offering ‘Richard Jewell’ based on true events that occurred during the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
Jewell is a socially awkward individual, who lives at home with his mother, but aspires to work in Law Enforcement.
‘Richard Jewell’
He is someone who has a very “black and white” attitude to rules, regulations and authority, but also has as a tendency to go beyond his specific responsibilities, which causes friction and ridicule.
When the Summer Olympics come to his home town of Atlanta, he signs up as a Security Guard and is allocated to Centennial Park, the venue for various concerts held during the Games.
When chasing off drunken students, he notices a suspicious backpack which is eventually confirmed as a bomb.
As spectators are being moved away, the bomb detonates, causing two deaths and hundreds of injuries, but the consequences could have been so much worse. Jewell is initially praised as a hero on local and national media.
However, during investigations as to the perpetrator of the attack, Jewell fits the profile of the “lone hero”, usually a white male, with an interest in law enforcement, who rescues people from an event they initiated.
Added to Jewell’s domestic and work history, and his physical state, FBI Agent Tom Shaw, who was also on duty in Centennial Park, lets it be known that Jewell is under suspicion to the local paper, which in turn gains worldwide coverage.
Jewell meanwhile is unaware of this radical change of his status. He initially cooperates, but eventually insists on legal representation, specifically from one of his few former work colleagues who treated him with courtesy and respect, Attorney Watson Bryant, who agrees to take his case.
This is a stunning moral tale, of how the media and the absence of due process can result in a witch hunt.
It is told, not with unnecessary flourishes, but by a deceptively simple timeline method and with excellent character acting from an exemplary cast of Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde and in particular Paul Walter Hauser in the title role.
This could so easily have edged into caricature but I, for one, look forward to seeing this very talented actor in future roles. Enjoy!
