Richard Jewell

Clint Eastwood is a teller of stories. 

Whether he's starring in a film or directing -- or doing both -- Eastwood most often tells stories by stripping them to their bare essence. There's not a lot of filler in an Eastwood film; every moment seems important regardless of how much -- or how little-- is going on in a scene. And Richard Jewell follows suit. 

But this simple story has a rather complex undertone. 

Eastwood uses the compelling story of the Atlanta security guard who saved lives at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Park bombing to throw punches at two of the country's storied institutions: the Federal Bureau of Investigation and print journalism. These are timely arguments, considering the FBI and news organizations play significant roles in the current political divide we in the US find ourselves. 

Can we trust our rights and civil liberties to these institutions? Should we?

Richard Jewell placed his trust in them, and that misplaced trust cost him dearly. 

The cast of Richard Jewell is outstanding. Sam Rockwell looks more comfortable than ever as a lead star, and Paul Walter Houser channel Richard Jewell -- down to his perpetually-blushed cheeks.  The film's best role, however, may be the role of Jewell's mother. We meet Bobi Jewell as a naïve woman who loves her son but doesn't pay much attention to the world outside her own. The movie ends with her eyes opened to how lies and politics can devastate the life of an innocent. 

Look for Kathy Bates, who plays Bobi Jewell, to pick up a gold statue for her supporting role.