Richard Jewell

RICHARD JEWELL

Director : Clint Eastwood

Year : 2020

Genre : Biographical Drama

Rating : ****

Having delivered fine supporting performances in films such as 'I, Tonya', 'BlackKklansman' and 'Beats', the comedian turned actor Paul Walter Hauser now confirms his place as a leading actor in 'Richard Jewell', Clint Eastwood's thrilling and engrossing biographical drama which easily stands as the directors best film in years. Made with a panache and drive which has been absent in his more recent work, 'Richard Jewell' sees the 90 year old filmmaker at the very height of his powers, effortlessly combining razor-sharp storytelling and subtle yet undeniable political subtext to make his most proficient and entertaining feature since 2009's 'Gran Torino'. Based on the now celebrated 1997 Vanity Fair article by journalist Marie Brenner, the movie tells the shocking true account of the eponymous security guard who was hailed a hero for thwarting a horrific terrorist bombing at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics only to be later accused by the FBI and the American media, leading to an intense smear campaign which ruined the lives of Jewell and those closest to him. 

With the pseudo-Orwellian phrase ''fake news'' having sadly found it's way into the modern lexicon over the past few years, trust in the media has gradually descended and 'Richard Jewell' really does a good job of excavating it's darkest and most unscrupulous bowels. Hounded by the press and the authorities to frankly disgraceful levels, Jewell was the textbook definition of a pariah-by-proxy and he is brilliantly brought to life through Hauser's powerful and emotionally rich central performance which perfectly mimics the late security guards well-documented kind heart and impassioned respect for authority - a sadly ironic facet in the face of the tragic and clearly anti-bureaucratic story being told. There is also some strong work on display from the supporting cast which includes Sam Rockwell, Jon Hamm, Olivia Wilde and Kathy Bates (who deservedly garnered an Academy Award nomination) bur it is the perfectly cast Paul Walter Hauser who rightly remains the focus here and he commands the screen with a measured and empathetic performance which was quite wrongly overlooked by the major award ceremonies. 

'Richard Jewell' is undoubtedly a worthy and commendable movie but it is certainly not without it's faults. Like a lot of Eastwood's more intimate films, it is overlong at 129 minutes and, has been already discussed in numerous articles, the overly sexualised characterisation of the now deceased reporter Kathy Scruggs played by Olivia Wilde is particularly troublesome. However, these notable speedbumps do little to detract from the overall effect of the film which currently stands as one of my favourites of 2020. The performances are unanimously solid, Eastwood's direction is as dynamic yet as economic as ever - especially during the focal bombing sequence - and the story is a frequently distressing yet provocative cautionary tale regarding the social and personal effects of unjust media intrusion and influence.