Review of Richard Jewell (2019) by Naz34 — 16 Dec 2019

Richard Jewell is a brilliant and bold film that explores government & media corruption in how a witch hunt plays out.

Richard Jewell was the victim here, not the female reporter who wrote multiple hit pieces against him...not the AJC publication. It is sad that the narrative is being flipped around against the film due to a minor use of creative license which is being vilified. This woman did have a prior romantic entanglement with a cop on the case, so the film did not reach much when it came to that plot point as to how she leaked the info to the press.

This is a gripping and important movie. It is probably Eastwood's best movie in the past ten years. Paul Walter Hauser is a revelation. Sam Rockwell gives a powerful performance as his indignant lawyer and he deserves an Oscar nomination. Kathy Bates is heartbreaking as his traumatized mother. Richard Jewell is the victim and the film pays tribute to injustice. It doesn't matter if you are left wing or right wing. I hope the film is vindicated during awards season because I think some of the media injustice, manufactured overblown controversy is damaging the film.