Joe Bell (2020) User Reviews

walking with thoughts

[ferguson-6 · 5/10 · 22 July 2021]

Greetings again from the darkness. Given his track record, Mark Wahlberg is not the guy that first comes to mind for a message movie about tolerance and inclusion. On the other hand, he's perfectly cast as a macho Oregon dad struggling with his own prejudices when his son comes out as gay. Director Marcus Green (MONSTERS AND MEN, 2018) is working with a script co-written by Diana Ossana and the late, great Larry McMurtry, and though the film touches on some topics of conflict, it does so in a manner that plays comfortably for mainstream audiences. Mr. McMurtry passed away earlier this year, and the two co-writers shared an Oscar for their screenplay of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN (2015).

Wahlberg plays Joe Bell, and the film is based on the true story of Bell's decision to walk across America - from Oregon to New York City in honor of his son Jadin (played well by Reid Miller). Oregon was home, but the Big Apple was where Jadin dreamed of living - a place more accepting of him. We witness some of the relentless bullying and abuse Jadin endured at school and the Principal's appalling reaction, and we also see his home life: a dad who tries to avoid the issue and a loving mother (Connie Britton) who is not a woman of action.

While on his tribute walk, Joe stops at schools and community centers to tell the story of Jadin and express the importance of kindness and tolerance. Of course, this is also a time for some personal emotional cleansing for Joe ... an act of atonement, if you will. There is a twisty plot device that is evidently supposed to be a surprise, but there was no need to make it such - it would have still worked just fine. One of the best sequences occurs when Joe crosses paths with a small town Sheriff played by Gary Sinise. It's a cathartic few minutes that allows a fine actor (Sinise) to play the role of a father unloading the burden of guilt.

The past few years have inspired many of us to face our personal prejudices and perspectives, and this message movie reminds us that homophobia still exists and often overpowers the kindness of others. Jadin's essay describing being "surrounded by people that hate you" probably hits home for far too many.

Opening in theaters on July 23, 2021.

Affecting Drama About Tolerance, Regret, and Healing

[peterscarpinato · 7/10 · 23 July 2021]

Going in, I had an idea how this movie would play out. A dad version of the Sigourney Weaver film Prayers For Bobby came to mind. But this was different. Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg) certainly made his mistakes but tried his best to love and accept his son's sexuality despite the backdrop of intolerant rural Oregon. His subsequent trek across the country with his anti bullying message was a journey by foot but also an emotional and cathartic one.

I didn't know this true story and I recommend that you don't read up on it before the film. I'm glad I didn't because a couple of times the story went in a direction that was completely unexpected. One, a smart director choice. The second, a tragic reality.

Performances were strong across the board. Mark Wahlberg has come a long way as an actor and he delivers an excellent performance here. Reid Miller who plays his son Jaden was also outstanding.

Will the right people see this and be impacted by it? Probably not. Nevertheless, it's a moving story that deserves to be told.

Heartbreaking performance by Mark Wahlberg

[trinaboice · 7/10 · 24 August 2021]

IN A NUTSHELL: This dramatic movie is based on the true story of a small town, working-class father who embarks on a solo walk across the U. S. to crusade against bullying after his son is tormented in high school for being gay. The film is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green.

This is one of those movies that the critics absolutely hated, rating it at an embarrassingly low score of 38% on Rotten Tomatoes, while audiences really enjoy it, giving it a 77%. What did YOU think of the movie? Comment down below! I'd love to know your score!

THINGS I LIKED: I adore Mark Wahlberg in everything he does and he does everything well: drama, comedy, action. He gives a strong, powerful performance, as expected, and is one of the producers of the film. Rumor has it that Wahlberg invited young Reid Miller to his house for breakfast just to tell him in person that he landed the role of Jadin Bell. Awww, what a nice guy.

And speaking of Reid Miller. He's perfectly believable in this role.

Other talented cast members are Gary Sinise and Connie Britton.

Sadly, this is Larry McMurtry's last screenplay because he died just before the release.

Cute scene about Lady Gaga's songs.

You get to see some real video footage and images of the real people this movie is about at the end of the film. I always love that.

There's a sucker-punch moment that I didn't see coming. Nice job.

The story itself is heartbreaking and important.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: I thought it was interesting when the son told his dad, "It's my life, Dad. Not yours. " While that's definitely true, the son's life choices DID affect the dad's life.

The timeline can be a bit confusing as it bounces around.

Don't watch the trailer before you see the movie so that you don't see any spoilers.

It's a painful, terribly sad movie.

Some viewers complain that the movie doesn't dive deeply enough, but it does do something to keep the conversation of acceptance and tolerance going. Its heart is definitely in the right place.

TIPS FOR PARENTS: Profanity, crude language, including F-bombs Two gay teens kiss Ugly comments about gays Bullying Family Parenting You see some Drag Queens at a gay bar

l.

Dont get all the hate

[Alexander_Blanchett · 7/10 · 20 August 2021]

Not a bad film at all, so I dont get the negative reviews. Yes it is sometimes a bit cliched and sometimes a bit too emotionally over the top with some cheapish effects but I think in the essence it is a very important message the film spreads.

What I found was a bit hard to get into it at the beginning - I didn't know anything about the story before watching the film and usually I dont google a real live story I dont know about before entering the film that portrays that story. Maybe thats why I liked it and connected to it after a while. I think no matter what the quality of the film is - the story is real and it is important that it is shared. Maybe people were expecting a second Brokeback Mountain. I didn't. I expected a tender father-son-story which I got and on the top of this I got a story of much more importance. Ok I stop preaching. Back to the quality of the movie. Yes it was corny at times. Yes it was overwhelmingly sentimental at other points. It however contains some really decent acing. Biggest shout out to Reid Miller who was fantastic. He will go places. Such a beautiful and honest performance. Didn't feel like acting. Major thumbs up!

Mark Wahlberg in the lead was not bad either. He had some really good moments especially towards the end. Still it was not groundbreaking but in his own legacy the performance surely ranks in the Top 10. Also Connie Britton was memorable and nice to see Gary Sinise back with a short but beautiful performance.

I think the film mostly suffered from its direction. I was not on par with some creative decisions. The screenplay was also not out of this world, especially considering the writers involved. Still, and I am going back to preaching. This film is important and in my opinion spread this important message quite effectively.

Battle and fighting for rights change kind of film.

[blanbrn · 6/10 · 24 July 2021]

"Joe Bell" a film based on a true story involves a little mix of pain, drama, and coming to terms with tragedy. The story is gripping and touching as Joe(in a raw performance from Mark) decides to journey and travel by land and foot across country to raise awareness for his bullied and dead long lost gay son. The flashbacks and emotions of the film are touching and sometimes hard to take as it's a fight for human rights and freedom, only to end in stark tragic reality. Maybe not the best film, yet it's one that fights and stands for something.

Wahlberg can act?

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 9 March 2022]

Yes some may be surprised ... even shocked ... even more shocked than to find out what is actually going on here. I did not know of the man of the title ... I did not know of his struggle ... his pain ... his issues ... and his walk (of shame) ... actually not exactly his shame. Or not entirely his to carry ... but you'll find out if you watch the movie.

Really rich drama that tells us what society is like ... what bullying does to people ... and how individuals have to carry that weight ... or not. It is a heavy drama and a really good one. Stop bullying I'd say ... but unfortunately it is not as easy as that.

I had no idea what the movie would be about, if you like dramas and twists along the way ... I suggest you watch it without any knowledge yourself ... it's a tough one.

When Gary Sinese is only as good as everyone else, you know the acting is top notch.

[jeff-85-126561 · 8/10 · 20 December 2021]

Mark Wahlberg acts his ass off in this one. No guns or aliens or spies to hide behind. This is a brilliant performance. And the young actor Reid Miller is amazing. Connie Britten was better than ever and child Maxwell Jenkins steals a scene or two.

Not for the faint of heart or light viewing. 8/10.

Wahlberg

[yusufpiskin · 7/10 · 13 August 2021]

Mark Wahlberg is struggling to be a good actor. He appears in numerous big-budget movies in all high-budget box office projects. Which I think does well. He and Reid Miller made a good couple in this movie. Reinaldo Marcus Green did a pretty neat job. The year may be 2021, but homophobia is still a big problem. Especially for a teenager. Such films are important for awareness.

A beautiful story

[Gordon-11 · 28 August 2021]

The story is beautiful. The ending is truly touching. I enjoyed watching it.

Dead mans shoes (gay son version)

[Narna74 · 6/10 · 10 August 2021]

If you watch a lot of movies you'll work out the plot pretty quickly but that doesn't mean it ruins the film. Its about a fathers guilt and his shot at redemption and the director as attempted to use a device to explain the fathers thoughts. That's it really, worth a watch.

Wow, the critics went hard on this one, nitpicking every detail.

[Top_Dawg_Critic · 9/10 · 15 August 2021]

I went into this knowing only it's based on a true story and Wahlberg is walking across America because his gay son was bullied. I never even saw the trailer, and to be honest, I held off until there was nothing better to watch to see this film, only to laugh at Wahlberg playing the dad of a gay son (the last actor I'd expect to play that role), and expected it to be boring and not even finish the film - based on the reviews I read.

Man, was I wrong. This film hits every nerve, with some shocks and gut-punches. It's about much more than the plot summary states. It is very powerful, and will leave you emotional way past the closing credits. I truly am shocked at some of the critics reviews; instead of nitpicking, they should've sat back, followed the events of this true story, and read between the lines for some very powerful messages. There is so much more to this film than meets the eye.

I actually enjoyed the way the story was told, and the flashbacks were placed perfectly. The directing and cinematography was spot-on, and the screenplay was excellent. The 94 min runtime was just right, and the pacing couldn't have been better. The score and soundtrack were perfect, and that last song will just keep tugging at your heart-strings as the credits roll by.

Casting and performances were outstanding, and although Wahlberg should've used some onions to shed some real tears in a few scenes, his tone, facial expressions and demeanor in my opinion made his performance Oscar-worthy.

This is a must-see film for every father out there, regardless of your beliefs or religion. I feel this film is one of the most powerful films - based on true events, of the decade. It's a well deserved 9/10 from me. Again, wow.

Haters missed the message

[Pukeonthestreet · 9/10 · 21 December 2021]

This is a very well done movie with a great message about a real person that was trying to make a change in the world. If you watch it you'll experience some serious emotions and one of the parts is so well done you'll be blown away.

Wanted so much to like this movie, but......

[Chartreuse1 · 5/10 · 21 August 2021]

For such serious subject matter, the movie missed the mark. No pun intended. Wahlberg's performance was overly acted and the movie was all over the place with a lot of continuity issues and time jumps. A lot of the grit that could have made it a great movie. Instead, it was glossed over. Would not recommend and that's a shame.

More than a sixth sense plot twist

[sbrightman-186-204502 · 7/10 · 30 June 2022]

Almost turned it off after two minutes thinking the whole movie was going to climax with something very obvious and predictable. Persevere, as it's a emotional story that still has it's own twist.

I liked the message more than the movie

[khcunningham · 6/10 · 15 June 2022]

Not sure Mark was the right lead for this though he acted well, it was a cleverish reveal as well if you didnt already know the true story.

As a father if two sons I felt it though, but more because of the real tragedy, in fact there are many tragedies in this story, than the lead performance. Support actors were good.

Never understood walks across America.

[allboyzokfarm · 6/10 · 10 February 2022]

Never understood walks across America.

Must be a missionary to do it.

Raised Christian doesn't make you a Christian.

How many minds did he change ?

Never understood walks across America.

Such an important message but such a disappointing movie

[CabbageCustard · 5/10 · 11 August 2021]

This is a movie about an important subject - bullying and the acceptance of people who are, in some way, different to you. Unfortunately, the movie itself is very underwhelming. I'm glad it only lasted 90 odd minutes. I really wanted to enjoy this movie. I hoped to, perhaps, watch it with a lump in my throat and the need to reach for a tissue or two. I wanted to be challenged and inspired. Unfortunately, important as this message is, the story is told in such broad strokes that it comes across as preachy, emotionally manipulative and sometimes down right corny. That seems a funny thing to say because, surely this type of movie needs to preach and evoke emotion. It does, but it has to do so in the right way, in a way that doesn't make you feel manipulated. There is very little subtlety here, no cleverness or skill in the story telling that would let the message sneak up on you and hit you all the more powerfully because of its restraint. Instead you are presented with scenes that couldn't be more obvious if they had text running across the bottom of the screen saying, 'BE SAD NOW'; 'BE OUTRAGED NOW'; 'BE MOVED NOW'; 'BE INFORMED NOW' etc etc As a result the message, the important message is diminished and I am really disappointed about that. I would like to recommend this movie, but, honestly, I can't.

Sucker-punched

[klc-256-212690 · 6/10 · 8 October 2021]

This film surprises in many ways.

I hadn't paid attention to the cast and only discovered afterwards that it stars mark Wahlberg. This was the first sucker-punch, because I was absolutely wowed by the performance and hadn't realized just how good Wahlberg can be until I saw this. Completely taken by surprise!

Second surprise is when we finally get to see the father (Wahlberg) talking about and against bullying. Used to over-the-top Hollywood treatments of such things, it was entirely unexpected to realize that this man is not a good speaker at all. It fits the character, however, and for once we have to give the character points for trying as opposed to being greatly affected by the speeches given. But this is not really surprising in context, as the film is not so much about bullying as it is with coming to terms with your own prejudices.

Third surprise is the acting chops of Reid Miller. Not an easy role to play, but he is entirely believable and very touching.

Overall, the film is somewhat uneven, with flashbacks which somehow upset the flow and confuse as much as elucidate. But this is a minor problem because the acting and the situations are gripping enough for the drawbacks to be forgiven.

Definitely worth your time. I would have added an extra half-star, but couldn't seem to get the system to cooperate!

Hard to watch, I wanted to like it but couldn't bare to finish

[markalameda · 3/10 · 19 August 2021]

Seriously terrible, I love Mark whalberg but it was agonizing watching/listening to his forced country accent lol. We really wanted to give this a chance but we couldn't make it past 48min. Badly written even if it came from a good place or for a good cause.

You see what its like

[mls4182 · 8/10 · 7 April 2022]

You knew this was going to be a sad movie, so don't complain about it. You knew it dealt with the subject of LGBT, so if you don't like it, why did you watch it?

The most important thing this movie shows us is just a taste of some of the nastiness bullied people endure. Only a taste. Such a shame because it is the bullies who are truly flawed.

In this film, the parents are supportive. Well, it is 2022. Think of all the bullied kids who had no one on their side or no one to turn to. If you can't sympathize, why did you bother watching the film?

Good performances lacks impact

[tm-sheehan · 6/10 · 2 January 2022]

My Review- Joe Bell

My Rating 6/10. Prime

An interesting movie which I think fails in a few areas in my opinion .

First the title character Joe Bell played very convincingly by Mark Wahlberg should be the secondary character and the most important character Joe's son Jadin should be the prime focus.

Instead this film focuses on the Father not the son Jadin who was mercilessly bullied at school for his sexuality and eventually through desperate unhappiness takes his own life .

Good Joe Bell is based on the true story of a small town, working class father who embarks on a walk across the U. S. to crusade against bullying after his son is tormented in high school for being gay. Meanwhile he realizes he is instead missing out on his other sons life back at home.

To my mind the most important issue here is not Joe's belated mission to leave his remaining family at home .

Joe sets off on a marathon walk to spread a message of tolerance and support for young GLBTQI people experiencing similar horrors that his son went through .

While it's an admirable quest we mainly only see Jaydin played by a very talented young actor Reid Miller as a ghost who accompanies his Dad on his road trip.

Every moment Reid Miller an actor born in Tennessee his early twenties is on the screen he steals the movie .

Reid Milker's is the best performance in the film but his role is secondary to Mark Whalberg's .

While the Father's inner turmoil and I suspect guilt is understandable in a world where young people are suffering I think Director Reinaldo Marcus Green could have made more impact if young Jadin Bell's story was expanded perhaps in flashback as his Father tells it to the schools he speaks at . The decision to have him just appear mysteriously as a ghost in his fathers mind is not credible and it fails in my opinion to hammer home the horror of teenage bullying and it's consequences in a realistic way.

I still recommend Joe Bell as it is a story that needs more exposure and has impressive performances from Mark Wahlberg and Reid Miller as the young man who was bullied to death just for being true to himself.

When Straights Write Gay Content

[rfieldj · 3/10 · 9 January 2022]

I can't say this was a bad movie all the way around because I think the story of Joe Bell and his son is important to tell. However, when I started to watch and I saw some annoying stereotypes, and then I saw a few things that would never have happened in real life with a gay teen, I realized that this is what happens whenever straights write gay content. The film was written by Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry and they have no business writing gay content. At. All. So while it's not the worst film I've seen, it would have been so much better if there had been gay writers handling this content. But Hollywood doesn't seem to be able to grasp that yet. And I'm not sure they ever will.

A missed opportunity

[jtindahouse · 6/10 · 30 December 2021]

There's a lot going on in 'Joe Bell' and yet it still somehow feels very flat. It's a true story which was I was hoping was going to be inspirational. It didn't really have that effect for me. It worked in some other ways but not in terms of inspiration. I think the main reason was that I didn't really like Mark Wahlberg's character. I think making him more likeable and less flawed would have made the movie work a lot better.

There's a mini-twist part way through the movie that caught me quite off-guard. I wasn't expecting it and it certainly changed everything. From there though the film falls back into a bit of a slump. From there it kind of just drifts along until Gary Sinise shows up and breathes some life into the final quarter of the movie. Sinise is a such a welcome addition to any film.

The ending I most certainly did not see coming. That really caught me off-guard, particularly considering this is a true story. 'Joe Bell' isn't a bad movie, it's just remarkably unremarkable. I can't help feeling a chance was missed here. With this story some filmmakers could have done something quite special. 6/10.

Good for Wahlberg-!

[seandiamondryan · 6/10 · 28 December 2021]

I know Mark probably became "woke" way before me since he was a model & an actor early on(and singer), but we both grew up on the East Coast in the 1980s and then & there, if you were gay and anyone knew it- you'd go home bloody at least twice a month, and no one really cared. We all believed that if you're gonna flaunt it, you're gonna get it & it's your own fault. I'm happy to say that all has changed a GREAT DEAL (at least in the North) and what I never expected was to be in L A with a lot of gay friends as an adult- friends who LOVE! So the picture is important. I know there seems to be a lot but tolerance for ANYONE DIFFERENT IS IMPORTANT. And correct. Do I still say "that's gay",? You bet cause I refuse to be politically correct... and it can still be funny without being hurtful. Mostly I use it on my gay friends. Things like "you know why you're gay? Cause you crocheted yourself a pair of gym shorts". THATS FUNNY AND NO APOLOGIES & credit to the joke to Seth Rogan... so is anyone mad at him? If you are, you're not woke, you're a jerk. Cause THAT IS FUNNY. But I liked the pic & love M W in a not gay way...

Inspirational yet terrible UGH

[barryrod · 2/10 · 11 August 2021]

The message and story are great and yet the film seems to be written by a 12 year old. Even Whalberg was unable to save this stinker.