Our take
This crime drama based on a true story is directed by Clint Eastwood and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio among others. It’s about a peculiar security guard who finds a bomb at the 1996 Atlanta summer Olympics moments before it exploded. But while first hailed as a hero, the authorities quickly suspect him of being behind the bomb. Just like Eastwood’s other creation, Sully: Miracle on the Hudson, Richard Jewell is a simple story that if it wasn’t for excellent directing, would not be enough to make a movie out of. But great performances and a great script make this movie not only worthwhile but a timely comment on the trustworthiness of law enforcement.
The story
Richard Jewell thinks quick, works fast, and saves hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives after a domestic terrorist plants several pipe bombs and they explode during a concert, only to be falsely suspected of the crime by sloppy FBI work and sensational media coverage.
Elsewhere
"But the artist...who keeps this film from collapsing into pandering mediocrity after it devolves into anti-media and anti-FBI caricatures-is Paul Walter Hauser as Jewell."
— Michael Sragow
"A timely story of broken trust in institutions."
— Mark Asch
The details
Streaming arrival
Who picked it
Bilal Zouheir is the founder of A Good Movie to Watch. He is based in the US and a member of the Nevada Film Critics Society. He grew up in Morocco, where he learned English from watching movies. Bilal's work with A Good Movie to Watch is focused on offering an alternative to streaming algorithms, which are often used as commercial tools by streaming services.
It’s awesome.
What an emotional roller-coaster for Richard Jewel, propelled by yet another perfect adaptation from Clint Eastwood. Great script, great directing, and acting. No gaps or slowness, just good cinema.