What a story... It's great to watch a movie about the decency and heroism of a regular American man, standing up for himself against a political and media machine.
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Reply by znexyish
on April 20, 2020 at 5:55 PM
It's just a movie. All political sides and the media as well use them to sell themselves and their heroics.
https://variety.com/2019/film/columns/richard-jewell-clint-eastwood-kathy-scruggs-controversy-1203435866/
Reply by CheekyMonkey
on April 22, 2020 at 4:37 PM
The actor who played Jewell nailed it... I watched the 60 minutes interview with the guy and some youtube clips of his other footage... Underrated movie, imo...
Reply by Daddie0
on May 7, 2020 at 5:02 AM
I agree. I am old enough to remember the bombing and one other thing it did was remind me again how we are so quick (and growing quicker all the time) to move on from one scandal to the next, never quite sorting out the messes we make as we go. Clint Eastwood has a master's touch in film making that is sorely lacking for many films today. When I saw the length of this film I was surprised, but not nearly as surprised as how quickly it was over. Now that is what great storytelling can do.
Reply by JustinJackFlash
on February 4, 2021 at 12:32 PM
He has made a few films like that, yeah. But to say he's a one trick pony and that's all he's ever done and is capable of is pretty inaccurate. Just looking at his list of films on IMDB and I can see a shit ton of films that don't match that description. Jersey Boys, J.Edgar, Letters From Iwo Jima, Mystic River, Play Misty For Me, American Sniper
Is Million Dollar Baby about standing up to the establishment? I dunno. Spoiler Warning: It's more about euthanasia. But yeah I can see how euthansia can be a statement against the establishment. On the other hand, the fact that it tackles euthanasia makes it more than simply an anti-establishment film.
Interestingly, I do find it quite odd that he does make anti-establishment films considering he is famously republican. I can see how Dirty Harry is anti-authority in a gung ho way so that could be seen to fit his politics but that's not the case with something like Richard Jewel which seems like the kind of film that would come from a left wing mentality.
Reply by JustinJackFlash
on February 4, 2021 at 12:38 PM
I do like the dude and he certainly does make some good films. But he has fired out a fair few bad, pointless ones too. It's just that you hear about them a lot less. True Crime, Space Cowboys, Flags of Our Fathers. I haven't seen his newest film, The Mule. But it does sound pretty dull.
Reply by MongoLloyd
on February 6, 2021 at 12:52 PM
This is classic film story telling and a quintessential Eastwood underdog story.
Reply by Daddie0
on February 6, 2021 at 5:04 PM
It seems to me we have become so exclusively binary and categorical in our thinking (not just in politics but life) that we can't imagine independent thought or plodding convictions. It is such things in his work--especially as he ages--that I find engaging, refreshing, and commendable.
The dullness might be what I'm drawn to...I'll have to check it out.![wink](/assets/emojis/v8/1f609.svg)
Reply by JustinJackFlash
on February 6, 2021 at 7:24 PM
Yeah, you're very right about that. People pigeon hole other people politically way, way too much and assume these political terms mean very fixed things. But some people will also do it to themselves, which really doesn't help matters. They will pick an ideology and then think they have to align all their beliefs with that ideology.
I respect Clint for being the way he is. He clearly is a Republican that has a bit of an open mind. His ending of Million Dollar Baby (spoiler warning) which seems pro-euthanasia does seem to stray pretty far from what you'd traditionally associate with Republicanism. And I do see a lot of that kind of thing in his films. I just always thought it pretty odd that he chooses to identify as Republican when I'd say he seems more like an Independent to me. But obviously it's his choice.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing on the Clintster. Just pointing out that just like filmmakers today, he is capable of blundering.