I recently had the chance of seeing the latest movie directed by Clint Eastwood and it was a nice experience just as I was expecting it to be. The story is based on real-life events that transpired at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. While working as a security guard, Richard discovers a strange backpack below a bench and after being checked by a police officer, it is revealed the backpack contains homemade bombs.
What follows is the stressful moments where the police and security guards need to move people away from the bench which wasn't as easy as it sounds because there was a music concert going on at the same time. Soon after being discovered, the backpack explodes.
In the film, Richard is portrayed as a very meticulous person, who loves to always follow the proper protocol and rules. He might also have a bit of neuroticism in him, he was always looking for anything suspicious and most of the time he was wrong. Until he found this backpack full of bombs.
What follows is the recognition of his heroic job in saving so many lives, if he hadn't discovered the backpack and insisted on the police officers to check it, who knows how many people would have been killed by this terrorist attack. The problem begins when he becomes the main suspect in the investigation.
I don't know if Richard Jewell was a very bright person in real life, but there are several times in the movie where he makes stupid mistakes when dealing with the FBI people. Even his lawyer was frustrated and sometimes he needed to explain things to Richard like a 5 yeard old. Maybe the goal was to add a little comedic element in the movie? I am not sure but the truth to the matter is that Richard is portrayed as having below-average intelligence. This doesn't mean he is incompetent and he does in fact has an epic moment when being interviewed by the FBI at the end of the film. The movie also shows how the police can get quite stubborn and deceitful when trying to frame someone as a criminal.
If you enjoyed biographical dramas, and especially if you enjoyed previous movies directed by Clint Eastwood then you will surely have a good time watching Richard Jewell.
The best
- Touching story that is immortalized thanks to this film.
- Great performances from the main characters.
The worst
- The beginning was boring.
- Richard Jewell was painted as an extremely innocent man, and a little bit dumb. Not sure if this was the case in real life.
More information: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/292011-richard-jewell
Review: AAA
In numbers: 7/10