Richard Jewell – A Gripping Underdog Story

Clint Eastwood, as a director, has had a rough run as of late. With films like The 15:17 to Paris and The Mule missing the mark, it is definitely safe to say that he is finally back with Richard Jewell (though it’d be by default in comparison), however, it is still not a perfect film by any means. Its parts may outweigh their sum (with some of those parts being questionable at best) but in the end, there is more than enough here worth recommending, including an overdue star-making performance. While the film’s attempts to establish stakes arguably come off as comical, it is still a compelling underdog true story that remains very relevant even 20+ years later.

Richard Jewell is a true story about a man named Richard Jewell (Hauser), a ambitious and unassuming security guard who would find himself caught up in controversy after being falsely accused of being a terrorist after he saved thousands of people from a bomb at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics. Jewell was an socially-awkward oddball who always dreamed of becoming law enforcement and helping people despite the fact that many failed to take him seriously. This dream drove him but it would also get him in trouble at times as he arguably failed to understand the consequences of his actions, however, he did not let this deter him. Through the highs and the lows, Jewell was a relatable everyman that was very easy to root for.

Jewell’s journey eventually saw him as a security guard working the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics where an anonymous caller placed a bomb threat in the park where he happened to be working. If it was not for his uber-vigilance, the bombing would certainly have been a lot worse than it was. Jewell was declared a hero for his actions thus giving him (and perhaps those who’ve misjudged him) a sense of validation. Unfortunately, it would all be for naught as his actions were put under the microscope by both the FBI and the news media as he would be the center of the investigation for the bombing. Jewell’s virtuous good nature made it easy for him to get preyed upon.

Richard Jewell in essence was a story about a persecuted man and a hero who was unjustly demonized. It was very easy to feel for him and the effect this had on his family, including his single mother Bobi (Bates). However, the film would occasionally veer into the ridiculous while establishing stakes, ranging from comical to nonexistent. Be it the caricature of an overambitious newspaper reporter after him named Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde) to the irrelevant FBI side and agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm), there was not much else going on to the film. Any attempt at making a bigger point with these perspectives was weak at best and painful to watch at worst.

What would ultimately lift Richard Jewell were the lead performances and chemistry of Hauser, Rockwell, and Bates as Richard and Bobi Jewell and Richard’s lawyer Watson Bryant respectively. Jewell’s arc over the course of the film is the best part of the film thanks to a career-best performance from Hauser. As the everyman Jewell, we as an audience can relate to him and his ambitions as well as feel his pain despite him perhaps setting it aside for the greater good all the way until the end. Rockwell’s Bryant served as a fun counterbalance to Jewell, bringing plenty of energy to the proceedings with some great lines. Bates was strong as Bobi with a masterclass of nuance and subtly in highlighting her character’s pain through the littlest moments. While those three thrived, Wilde and Hamm suffered as Scruggs and Shaw respectively were mostly painful to watch. They ultimately did the best with what they had which admittedly wasn’t great. However the Hauser/Rockwell/Bates combo more than made up for that.

Richard Jewell may not be without its problems but in the end, is still a gripping underdog story with relevance today.

*still courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures*

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.