Richard Jewell

Name: Richard Jewell
Genre: Biography, Drama, Crime
Released: December 13, 2019
Duration: 131 min
Rating: 68
Cast: Beth Keener, Brandon Stanley, Charles Green, David Moretti, Deja Dee

2019

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 46 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 182 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 182 Ratings

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Richard Jewell

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Movie Details & Credits

Warner Bros. | Release Date: December 13, 2019 | R

Starring: Beth Keener, Brandon Stanley, Charles Green, David Moretti, Deja Dee, Ian Gómez, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, Marc Farley, Mike Pniewski, Mitchell Hoog, Nina Arianda, Olivia Wilde, Paul Walter Hauser, Randall P. Havens, Ryan Boz, Sam Rockwell, Victoria Paige Watkins, Wayne Duvall, Wendy Prescott Luke

Summary: The world is first introduced to Richard Jewell as the security guard who reports finding the device at the 1996 Atlanta bombing—his report making him a hero whose swift actions save countless lives. But within days, the law enforcement wannabe becomes the FBI’s number one suspect, vilified by press and public alike, his life ripped apart.The world is first introduced to Richard Jewell as the security guard who reports finding the device at the 1996 Atlanta bombing—his report making him a hero whose swift actions save countless lives. But within days, the law enforcement wannabe becomes the FBI’s number one suspect, vilified by press and public alike, his life ripped apart. Reaching out to independent, anti-establishment attorney Watson Bryant, Jewell staunchly professes his innocence. But Bryant finds he is out of his depth as he fights the combined powers of the FBI, GBI and APD to clear his client’s name, while keeping Richard from trusting the very people trying to destroy him.… Expand

Director: Clint Eastwood

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, Crime

Rating: R

Runtime: 131 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Rex Reed

Dec 18, 2019

Yes, this is a great one, and a magnificent centerpiece performance by an unknown actor named Paul Walter Hauser in the title role is a major reason it is so unforgettable. Read full review

The Film Stage Glenn Heath Jr.

Dec 12, 2019

While Richard Jewell might not be top tier Eastwood, Hauser’s nervy, sweaty performance feels like a culmination for the filmmaker, a beautiful stripping away of the star power afforded by actors like Hanks and Cooper that reveals something deeper about American self-destruction. Read full review

Joe Morgenstern

Dec 12, 2019

Richard Jewell has much to recommend it. The story is compelling — from hero to reviled heel in no time flat. In a jauntier time it might have been raw material for social satire; in our day it’s a cautionary tale about abuse of power by the press and government alike. Read full review

Inkoo Kang

Dec 9, 2019

More diverting is the increasingly desperate forensics the FBI resorts to in order to build a case against Jewell, though it’s not always clear which tactics are simply thorough, now outdated, or flagrantly illegal. But Richard Jewell has so little to say about its time period or how the culture has shifted that it ends up exposing the relative quaintness of its concerns. Read full review

Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Dec 4, 2019

Like so many of the works of Eastwood’s long late period, Jewell offers a story without much of an endpoint, with an uplifting coda that feels almost as jarring as the ending of "American Sniper." But somewhere within its surprisingly pacey two-plus hours is a compelling group portrait of ordinary oddballs in cruel circumstances; it relays Eastwood’s appreciation for individuals over masses better than any speech ever could. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Dec 9, 2019

Ironically, Clint Eastwood is as condescending of Jewell as the bureaucrats he despises. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

Dec 12, 2019

Eastwood’s made some bad movies in recent years, along with some gems. This is the first film of his I’ve seen since his organutan co-star days that had me embarrassed for him. Read full review

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User Reviews

Deanomite

Jan 17, 2020

This was the best movie of the year. it is about our Constitutional rights and how rogue government destroys well meaning con•sci•en•tious individuals. Eastwood is a master of character development, and a big part of that is showing the flaws. Richard Jewell is a very flawed individual,This was the best movie of the year. it is about our Constitutional rights and how rogue government destroys well meaning con•sci•en•tious individuals. Eastwood is a master of character development, and a big part of that is showing the flaws. Richard Jewell is a very flawed individual, seems mildly autistic. But he provides a valuable service and is happy to help and is deeply empathetic. Arguably the most complete character in an Eastwood movie. And well portrayed by John Paul Hauser. Excellent casting choices of Kathy Bates, Sam Rockwell and John Hamm, every single one a good actor with a chance to breathe a little. It was very surreal to see the crazy guy correct. There is a lesson in all this, it is that people are trash. The FBI, media and employers would never have behaved in this fashion if anything else were true. Decent people are an island in an ocean. I was incredibly moved when he said he is not allowed to talk to people anymore, I have recently reached the same conclusion for different reasons, that is brilliant filmmaking. All I can say is Sam Rockwell definitely earned his Snickers. I cried when he said his mom only got to be proud for 3 days of her son, i cried a lot at this movie, like watching The Elephant Man win. This is Jungian individual vs collective at it's best, with some Kafka arbitrary justice thrown in, bravo Clint Eastwood, mastering philosophy and contemporary Constitutional rights at once. The crazy guy walked away disappointed with the incompetence of the government.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Naser2153

Dec 19, 2019

This is Clint Eastwood's best work in a decade. Compelling, heartbreaking and fantastic. Absolutely 2019's best film. A must see and I can see why so many critics are angry with this film.

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

samanhanks

Dec 13, 2019

This is the BEST picture of 2019. Eastwood truly delivers! This film has brought Eastwood back to the way he once made movies. The hero who becomes the villain who becomes the hero again. Richard Jewell was falsely accused of planting a bomb that they then allowed the mainstream media toThis is the BEST picture of 2019. Eastwood truly delivers! This film has brought Eastwood back to the way he once made movies. The hero who becomes the villain who becomes the hero again. Richard Jewell was falsely accused of planting a bomb that they then allowed the mainstream media to ruin this mans life when they could've stopped it at any time. They needed a scapegoat and used him because they couldn't admit they couldn't catch the real bomber. This movie delivers raw emotion, will absolutely draw you in and leave you wanting for watch it again and again.… Expand

6 of 8 users found this helpful62

NickTheCritick

Apr 12, 2022

Probably the best Eastwood movie of the last 15 years alongside Sully. Film that accurately tells (and finally devoid of sentimentality and patriotism) the story of Richard jewell.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

GreatMartin

Dec 13, 2019

Democrats and Republicans each can find something in this film to point out to each other though director Clint Eastwood sort of stacks the deck for the Conservatives. Based on a true story a viewer never knows what is true and what is imagined such as the reporter having sex with the FBIDemocrats and Republicans each can find something in this film to point out to each other though director Clint Eastwood sort of stacks the deck for the Conservatives. Based on a true story a viewer never knows what is true and what is imagined such as the reporter having sex with the FBI guy to get a story really true? The reporter is dead and the FBI man is really a mixture of a few people.

There is no falsehood behind the story of reporter Kathy Scruggs of the Atlantic-Journal Constitution naming Richard Jewell as the suspect in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia after he was hailed for being a hero when he found the bomb and alerted the authorities saving thousands of lives. Tom Broker, on NBC TV, also reports that Jewell is a suspect. We watch the FBI, and the media, tear apart the lives of both Jewell and his mother who he lives with. Kathy Bates, as the mother, has two very strong scenes that would justify her being nominated for an Oscar while Sam Rockwell as the lawyer committing himself to clear Richard's name gives another one of his strong performances and Paul Walter Hauser as Richard Jewell gives a once in a lifetime performance and certainly deserves a lot of movie awards during award time! The actors are the ones who make this movie with the screenplay Billy Ray a little too scattered and director Clint Eastwood seems to want to show that liberals don't run the movie business so we have a lot of unnecessary politics and wasted time.

I do recommend "Richard Sewell" for the aforementioned excellent performances plus what could be a realistic look at how a man's life could be ruined without substantial facts accusing him of something he hasn't done.… Expand

3 of 5 users found this helpful32

AxeT

Dec 13, 2019

Compelling, timely, and well acted of course under the sure hand of icon brand Clint Eastwood, it ultimately winds up underwhelming. Both the FBI and the press are in question now like never before, but the parallels of this true story aren't quite enough to raise the suspense stakes in aCompelling, timely, and well acted of course under the sure hand of icon brand Clint Eastwood, it ultimately winds up underwhelming. Both the FBI and the press are in question now like never before, but the parallels of this true story aren't quite enough to raise the suspense stakes in a post 9/11 world. The premiere audience seemed to love it anyway.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

JordanLayton

Apr 27, 2020

A great story I was unaware of with some good performances, questionable editing, and an amateur screenplay. This story of a true believer in the the United States justice system being shown its darkest side is a compelling one. The way it's told is from a very one-sided point of view, but IA great story I was unaware of with some good performances, questionable editing, and an amateur screenplay. This story of a true believer in the the United States justice system being shown its darkest side is a compelling one. The way it's told is from a very one-sided point of view, but I don't have too much trouble believing that there was little exaggeration in the details that mattered about it.

Walter Hauser gives an impressive performance in a role that is arguably quite difficult to empathize with and Kathy Bates came to her supporting role in a lane I didn't know she had: a tired, withering, mother. If there's one thing this film has, it's great performances in difficult roles. Playing a smart character with strong convictions is one thing, but getting an audience to empathize with less educated characters with strong convictions is a difficult task, in my experience. Unfortunately, some other things went wrong. Some films are saved in the edit. I would argue this one was partially lost in it. One buzz phrase in film making is "arrive late, leave early:' This film unfortunately did the opposite and you feel it. This may have also been a screenplay issue, of which there were many. Copious flashbacks and one cliche dream sequence are written into this script and it just did not need those things on top of the other fluff that dragged this film out to 2h12m. This story definitely did not require that runtime to tell. For those reasons, I'm out.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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