This wasn’t a film I’d heard anything about, in fact, it was actually a spontaneous decision to go and watch it - although when I’d seen the list of stars involved with the film, I was really surprised. Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm and Leonardo DiCaprio, Clint Eastwood and Jonah Hill all have some kind of influence in the film and result in it telling not only a true story but ing.
As I wasn't aware of the actual events that took place, it was really important that not only the film established the characters well but also established the plot and sequences of the film in a straightforward and simple manner. The film does this superbly by using arguably my favourite aspect of the film, it's a realistic and genuine set of characters. I love the introduction to the characters at the start of the film, seeing Richard operating in the offices (where he initially meets Watson) feels really awkward but this is exactly what makes these scenes so powerful and important, they are key to outlining who the various characters are and what types of characters they are - which not only gives us a great insight into them but also really helps to make them feel real and genuinely likeable. It really feels like a lot of effort was put into the film to really make the characters seem genuine and immersive, simple things like seeing Richard playing a shooting game with Watson gives a warm introduction to their friendship whilst giving strong implications of Richard as both a crime fighter and a skilled gunman. The film spends roughly 10/15 minutes introducing us to the characters, and really allowing us to understand them in detail, these lengthy character introductions give the film a real sense of emotion and power, because we see the characters on a really personal level, helping to make them more than just characters in a film, but through doing this, the film Make no mistake though, despite this, the film expertly creates a connection between us and Richard through empathy and sympathy because of the really powerful and immersive way in which the film presents him. This leaves us on his side right from the very beginning, and experiences the bullying and torment he receives gives him a 'zero to hero' feeling which helps to personify his feelings. ings.
As I wasn't aware of the actual events that took place, it was really important that not only the film established the characters well but also established the plot and sequences of the film in a straightforward and simple manner. The film does this superbly by using arguably my favourite aspect of the film, it's realistic and genuine set of characters. I love the introduction to the characters at the start of the film, seeing Richard operating in the offices (where he initially meets Watson) feels really awkward but this is exactly what makes these scenes so powerful and important, they are key to outlining who the various characters are and what types of characters they are - which not only gives us a great insight into them but also really helps to make them feel real and genuinely likeable. It really feels like a lot of effort was put into the film to really make the characters seem genuine and immersive, simple things like seeing Richard playing a shooting game with Watson gives a warm introduction to their friendship whilst giving strong implications of Richard as both a crime fighter and a skilled gunman. The film spends roughly 10/15 minutes introducing us to the characters, and really allowing us to understand them in detail, these lengthy character introductions give the film a real sense of emotion and power, because we see the characters on a really personal level, helping to make them more than just characters in a film, but through doing this, the film Make no mistake though, despite this, the film expertly creates a connection between us and Richard through empathy and sympathy because of the really powerful and immersive way in which the film presents him. This leaves us on his side right from the very beginning, and experiences the bullying and torment he recieves gives him a 'zero to hero' feeling which helps to personify his feelings. I just love how Richard is portrayed as just such a genuine and kind-hearted character, it really helps to get the audience on his side throughout the film and to make emotional scenes even more impacting.
Like I said, I love the genuine and real nature of the characters, seeing how the FBI makes up completely false evidence not only helps to bring the story to light but also helps the film to evolve from an initial and slightly comical introduction into a really serious and exciting thriller and the characters are at the centre of that. All of the performances in this movie did the real-life people this was based on justice. Paul Walter Hauser was stunningly brilliant as Richard Jewell and elicited about as much sympathy as someone can on the big screen. Kathy Bates also delivered in spades as the emotional mother having to watch her son be wrongly accused by the United States government and the media. It's not often you have three stand out performances in one movie, but Sam Rockwell deserves some recognition too for the great work he did as Richard Jewell's lawyer and close friend. This was a story that holds a heavy message for this day and time, and Clint Eastwood portrays it in a way that is sure to stick with the viewers for a long time.
At the start of the film, it uses quite a lot of time showing us the concert and the various events surrounding the Atlanta summer Olympics, these to some may seem boring or a waste of time but I really like them, not only do they help to capture the event and to get us encompassed in it, but it also helps to capture the emotion and feeling surrounding the remainder of the film! These scenes also actually offer a lot to the film in terms of emotional value too, when we see Richard discover the bomb, the film essentially flicks a switch and suddenly adds a high feeling of intensity and danger into the scene, which transitions really well, and ultimately surprises us with the bomb going off. The bomb blast is one of the key parts to the film for many reasons, not only does it essentially provide a climax feeling to the film through the deafening blast sound, but the film also plays around with our senses by slowing downtime and using quick camera angles to personify the nature of the blast and to scare us too - not only does this scene help to encapsulate the fear of the characters but it also scares us, and immerses us within those events which is not only really exciting but also adds a useful sense of intensity too, which is added into the mix very well.
I love the character progression in this film too, because it gives us something alongside the story to follow and delve into, seeing how Richard starts off as a pushover, and then slowly develops and becomes stronger and more independant feels great to watch, as the sympathy the film gives us for him becomes more and more effective - resulting in his speech towards the end about the FBI being the top kind of person that one could aspire to be giving us an enormous sense of achievement. The FBI agents are presented as doing their job but under pressure to find someone to blame for the bombing. It is all done in a great and heartfelt style which is typical for Clint Eastwood. This man was innocent, but because he met a certain profile they went after him. The funny thing is that Jewell himself understands why they would be questioning him.
The characters are also really exciting, and they bring their own form of purpose into the film, which helps to convey the story in a way which not only feels really rewarding at the end, but emotional and powerful throughout, the characters are a key part of this.
As well as the characters though, the actual plot and storyline are amazing too. One of the key things which makes this film feel especially powerful (alongside the performances of the characters) is the fact that this film is real, which helps to multiply all of the feelings and emotions surrounding the film, it isn't a made up story, but one that actually happened to Richard Jewell and this simple little fact is a big part of why the film is so hard-hitting. However, there are many movies based on or inspired by true stories where the writing couldn't really capture the heart of it and that is where the beauty of the writing lies. Overall though, I really like the story and its execution here, sure it is based off a true story but I still feel that the storyline feels really unique and fresh due to the new perception that it follows surroudning modern day issues. The story is simple and really easy to follow, as are the characters developments, through separate parts of the film, it clearly shows how the story develops, by using key events to shock or excite in order to keep the variety of excitement and horror balanced.
Overall, I would give this film an 8. It is a really well-made movie, with an excellent set of characters which really help to make the film not only really powerful but also gripping and intense aswell. The film's plot isn't entirely factual, but the mixture between fact and fiction is done well, resulting in a film which is hard-hitting in the way that it tells its story. Sure, there are some negative parts such as the slightly vague character set and some fairly cringey scenes involving chunks of information being cut out, but overall it is definitely an interesting film which packs a punch for sure! The film starts off by not completely taking itself seriously, with jokes about the snickers bars and games, but at the end it really rounds itself off by rewarding our interest and helping to provide great viewing. Would I recommend this film? I would, but I feel that it may only be exciting for a fairly niche audience, for an audience who are passionate about film and can overlook some of the starting scenes to be rewarded at the end. Kathy Scruggs to be a really cringe-worthy character, in one scene early on, she sleeps with Tom Shaw in return for some information regarding the case, this scene not only feels unrealistic but cringey too, from her dialogue to the way she moves around the bar, it just doesn't feel right, and much too cliche.
As well as this, the investigation throughout the film involves us really well, which makes it exciting and enjoyable because of the intensity surrounding it, I also like how even though we know Richard is innocent, the film challenges this and makes us think that maybe we were wrong, and by doing so, helps to make the film much more engaging and enjoyable. This sinister nature of the investigation helps to evoke not only sadness but also shock and surprise, seeing the tactics that the FBI use on Richard is shocking and results in a really powerful set of scenes where he is questioned and has his house searched. The film is able to immerse us so well within the case because of the strong emotional connection it makes between us and characters, not only does the film grab us right from the beginning but it doesn't let us go, far after leaving the theatre. Not only is this film powerful though, but it has real meaning and purpose behind it, which helps to elevate its importance and to make it much more emotionally hard hitting. The story of this film is awesome and is really executed well, resulting in a really enjoyable experience.
On the other hand, there were some problems that I encountered which weren't so great. Firstly, towards the start of the film, there is a lengthy amount of time where nothing really happens - I know I mentioned that this has some positive effects but it also has some nagetive ones too, such as how it doesn't give the film any real direction or purpose because the story isn't established until quite a while into the film (~30 minutes) which means that it is difficult to grasp and understand what is going on and why, because there isn't a concrete purpose and flow at the start. As well as this, the characters feel a little too vague too, sure we see a lot of Richard and his close circle of people within the film but there isn't really a massive amount of information or context which gives them a sense of purpose, they do their jobs really well, but due to the lack of a proper overview of them, I found myself wanting to know more about the characters and who they were so that I could have a more rounded interpretation of the plot. I also found Kathy Scruggs to be a really cringeworthy character, in one scene early on, she sleeps with Tom Shaw in return for some information regarding the case, this scene not only feels unrealistic but cringey too, from her dialogue to the way she moves around the bar, it just doesn't feel right, and much too cliche.
Overall, I would give this film an 8. It is a really well made movie, with an excellent set of characters which really help to make the film not only really powerful, but also gripping and intense aswell. The films plot isn't entirely factual, but the mixture between fact and fiction is done well, resulting in a film which is hard hitting in the way that it tells its story. Sure, there are some negative parts such as the slightly vague character set and some fairly cringey scenes involving chunks of information being cut out, but overall it is definitely an interesting film which packs a punch for sure! The film starts off by not completely taking itself seriously, with jokes about the snickers bars and games, but at the end it really rounds itself off by rewarding our interest and helping to provide a great viewing. Would I recommend this film? I would, but I feel that it may only be exciting for a fairly niche audience, for an audience who are passionate about film, and can overlook some of the starting scenes to be rewarded at the end.
Thank you for reading my review, I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did watching the film and writing this review, I hope you have a lovely day! If you would like to check out my Official Facebook page where you can see sneak previous and more film insights then please consider checking out the link below!
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