Richard Jewell | December 13 2019 | Clint Eastwood's highly anticipated follow-up to The Mule | Now a WB movie | Premiering at AFI Festival

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

21 hours ago, WittyUsername said:

In fairness, while I’m sure that Scruggs was a shady journalist, I don’t think the film needed to lie about her just to make her look extra bad, especially when she’s not even alive to defend herself. Her real-life actions should speak for itself, unless you’re going for satire in the style of South Park. It’s like if Vice had Dick Cheney beating his wife, even though there’s no indication of him ever having done that in real life.

That happened on the TV show The Crown, where the writing made JFK out to be jealous of Jackie's fame and implied domestic violence in the relationship. The few defenders were like, "dramatic license", or "no one really knows what happens between two people". But many viewers were very unhappy with the depiction, as a lot has been written about them and their marriage over decades and there is no hint of anything like that. The show could have worked with one of JFK's generally acknowledged flaws as a husband, which are numerous, but the writers seemed to be going for some sort of parallel with the current First Couple. 

 

Apparently, the AJC was the one outlet that didn't settle with Jewell and the courts ultimately ruled in their favor for the defamation suit he brought against them. So it's...interesting that the movie chooses to depict Kathy Scruggs the way it did, vs. going the composite character route, like with Jon Hamm's character.  

 

It's probably true the AJC is steering talk away from their coverage in 1996. Still, if the movie hadn't thrown in a baseless "she traded sex for scoops" angle, then the paper wouldn't have as much room to deflect and maybe everyone would be debating the nature of AJC's actual reporting. As it is, they are kinda skating on that just because the movie decided to add a bit of unnecessary drama.

Edited December 17, 2019 by BoxOfficeFangrl

[JB33]

I agree that there was no need for the script to exaggerate Scruggs' character in a negative light, but it's also true the AJC is using it as the perfect distraction. Barely anyone is talking about the victim depicted in this film and his family. 

[MrGamer]

Well, there goes my crossover idea: Jewell and Mule

[DAJK]

I definitely think movies have to be more careful if they're wrongly depicting a real life character. I don't think they should make up bad things a person did to make them look "extra bad", but they also shouldn't sanitize things if someone was truly a shady person in real life. 

 

Like, I love the movie, but it still bugs me how William Murdoch was portrayed in Titanic. And I know Cameron has said he wishes he could do that over and change it, but it's something that's very unfortunate that many people will look back on this real life person and see him the way the movie portrayed him. It also takes away from the movie itself, as it becomes more difficult to appreciate how great the movie is when you notice a fatal error like this. 

Edited December 16, 2019 by DAJK

[a2k]

Got an A Cinemascore. RT Aud score is solid 94%/96% unverified/verified. $30 dom possible?

[The Futurist]

Movies are not reality.

Just a thought.

 

[Neucentro]

Sleeping with an informant for scoop sounds like a cheap but convenient movie trope. Could this be the reason audiences turned away from this movie?  Because it's so cliched even the controversy could not save it from box office failure.

Edited December 17, 2019 by Neucentro

[Porthos]

1 hour ago, Neucentro said:

Sleeping with an informant for scoop sounds like a cheap but convenient movie trope. Could this be the reason audiences turned away from this movie?  Because it's so cliched even the controversy could not save it from box office failure.

I tend to doubt most people even knew about the controversy.

 

Probably more that we've had a string of films geared to the adult crowd and they just went "meh" on this one.

[grim22]

11 hours ago, Porthos said:

I tend to doubt most people even knew about the controversy.

 

Probably more that we've had a string of films geared to the adult crowd and they just went "meh" on this one.

 

[DAJK]

2 hours ago, grim22 said:

 

I mean I guess so, but I find it ridiculous how a movie is validated by which political side its themes fall on. So a movie criticizes how the media can vilify people unfairly? I don't see why that should be such a politicized topic (I understand why it is, but it should be a universal theme that people consider, not a "I'm not gonna watch it because it doesn't align with my pre-standing political beleifs" or "I'm definitely gonna watch it because it aligns with my political beliefs"). 

 

The fact that everything is becoming so dichotomous "this belief is good and this one's evil, and everything must fall onto either side" is really, really dangerous imo. 

 

If it makes more sense to contextualize: yea, the media should definitely be free to freely report, criticize, and (dare I say it) have their own opinions. They should definitely not be censored. But They should also be allowed to be criticized themselves, and should not be invincible especially when its actions can hurt an innocent person. Does that mean that any critique of the media is a gateway to radical right-wing ideology? Maybe, but it shouldn't be, and that's the problem with how some people seem to be perceiving this movie. 

Edited December 17, 2019 by DAJK

[WittyUsername]

1 minute ago, DAJK said:

I mean I guess so, but I find it ridiculous how a movie is validated by which political side its themes fall on. So a movie criticizes how the media can vilify people unfairly? I don't see why that should be such a politicized topic (I understand why it is, but it should be a universal theme that people consider, not a "I'm not gonna watch it because it doesn't align with my pre-standing political beleifs" or "I'm definitely gonna watch it because it aligns with my political beliefs"). 

 

The fact that everything is becoming so dichotomous "this belief is good and this one's evil, and everything must fall onto either side" is really, really dangerous imo. 

That’s the 2010s for you. Everything has become a tribal war these days, and entertainment has become a political war zone. This is the kind of culture we live in now.

 

In all honesty, I wouldn’t have personally cared for this movie one way or the other if all these conservative figures and publications didn’t insist that it’s the ultimate middle finger to “the libs”. I really wish people would stop treating Clint Eastwood like he’s a national treasure solely because he’s one of the most prominent conservatives in Hollywood. These are the same people who insist that celebrities need to shut up about their political beliefs, yet people like Clint Eastwood, James Woods and Kanye West get a pass from them. Gee, I wonder why...

[JB33]

14 minutes ago, DAJK said:

I mean I guess so, but I find it ridiculous how a movie is validated by which political side its themes fall on. So a movie criticizes how the media can vilify people unfairly? I don't see why that should be such a politicized topic (I understand why it is, but it should be a universal theme that people consider, not a "I'm not gonna watch it because it doesn't align with my pre-standing political beleifs" or "I'm definitely gonna watch it because it aligns with my political beliefs"). 

 

The fact that everything is becoming so dichotomous "this belief is good and this one's evil, and everything must fall onto either side" is really, really dangerous imo. 

 

If it makes more sense to contextualize: yea, the media should definitely be free to freely report, criticize, and (dare I say it) have their own opinions. They should definitely not be censored. But They should also be allowed to be criticized themselves, and should not be invincible especially when its actions can hurt an innocent person. Does that mean that any critique of the media is a gateway to radical right-wing ideology? Maybe, but it shouldn't be, and that's the problem with how some people seem to be perceiving this movie. 

It is. People don't even realize it but it reeks of socialism, which seems like it's the direction we're headed in at times.

[Barnack]

16 minutes ago, DAJK said:

(I understand why it is, but it should be a universal theme that people consider, not a "I'm not gonna watch it because it doesn't align with my pre-standing political beleifs" or "I'm definitely gonna watch it because it aligns with my political beliefs"). 

 

The fact that everything is becoming so dichotomous "this belief is good and this one's evil, and everything must fall onto either side" is really, really dangerous imo.

It really does sound dangerous, specially has you can more easily program what you watch just on pre-made prejudice you have and get in a tight silo.

 

But I wonder how much it is getting like that actually in reality, versus what pundit/comment section make it sound, people went to see those Marvel movies in mass, people went to see American Sniper in mass.

 

Movies like that fails all the time, probably more often than not (under 80% on RT, 0 star powers, not an horror or franchise movie). In the last 10 year's selling a movie that do not look like an happy ride during the holiday season isn't easy, even Fincher Girl with a Dragoon tattoo didn't manage to do it.

 

We kind of overbought the star power is dead because of how unreliable it is, but put Gone Girl level of cast in this and Gone Girl critical reception and I am not sure we would have the this movie is failing because of political division talk right now.

 

Or it could have got worst and worst in the last 5 year's and being the case.

[OdinSon2k14]

I rarely go the United Artist theater. Its further away, and it was a little outdated compared to the two modernized (especially the larger one) AMCs that are closer. No IMAX, no 3D screenings. 

 

Haven't been to that mall in a while, so I went to see Richard Jewell. Still no premium formats, but they upgraded the actual theaters. Smaller, doesnt have as many seats. Maybe 100? But they're leather(ish) recliners, with automatic leg lifts.

 

They fixed it up like a bigger version of your living room at home 🙂. I guess that was the idea behind it. Very cool, I liked it. Only thing was, the recliner I picked was on the lower bowl. I was right up on the screen, I didnt realize that when I was picking the seat at the box office computer screen.

 

The screen positioning is such that if you're seated down in the lower bowl, you have to tilt your head up to see the gigantic screen. You're obviously gonna be dealing with a sore neck. It's better to sit up in the balcony. 

 

I enjoyed the movie. The main character was an outcast/aspiring law enforcement officer. They did a great, often hilarious job, of showing his outcast quirks 😂. 

 

The FBI agent rates highly on the 2019 villain list 😂. The lawyer was a hoot too.

 

Olivia Wilde is here in a borderline slutty portrayal of the Atlanta reporter that broke the story 😂. Once the outrage started, Wilde threw Clint Eastwood under the bus, suggesting that she was just following the orders of the producers 😂😂!

 

Controversy aside, you should give this a look, A-.

 

 

 

Edited December 17, 2019 by OdinSon2k14

[WittyUsername]

5 minutes ago, JB33 said:

It is. People don't even realize it but it reeks of socialism, which seems like it's the direction we're headed in at times.

This doesn’t have anything to do with socialism. This has to do with tribalism, which both ends of the political spectrum have adopted to absurd degrees. This isn’t just the fault of liberal journalists. Conservatives deserve blame for this as well. For God’s sake, the President’s son (who happens to be a middle aged man) was encouraging people to troll their liberal family members for Thanksgiving. Both sides need to stop with this nonsense. 

[DAJK]

10 minutes ago, WittyUsername said:

That’s the 2010s for you. Everything has become a tribal war these days, and entertainment has become a political war zone. This is the kind of culture we live in now.

 

In all honesty, I wouldn’t have personally cared for this movie one way or the other if all these conservative figures and publications didn’t insist that it’s the ultimate middle finger to “the libs”. I really wish people would stop treating Clint Eastwood like he’s a national treasure solely because he’s one of the most prominent conservatives in Hollywood. These are the same people who insist that celebrities need to shut up about their political beliefs, yet people like Clint Eastwood, James Woods and Kanye West get a pass from them. Gee, I wonder why...

What happened to separate the art from the artist. My political views certainly don't align with Eastwood's, but that has nothing to do with me thinking Sully is a great movie, or that Jersey Boys is boring as hell. 

 

8 minutes ago, JB33 said:

It is. People don't even realize it but it reeks of socialism, which seems like it's the direction we're headed in at times.

I wouldn't even say it's socialism, it's more that people in general on all sides only want to hear what they already believe. There is so little actual discourse going on anymore, people just preach to the converted. 

 

1 minute ago, Barnack said:

It really does sound dangerous, specially has you can more easily program what you watch just on pre-made prejudice you have and get in a tight silo.

 

But I wonder how much it is getting like that actually in reality, versus what pundit/comment section make it sound, people went to see those Marvel movies in mass, people went to see American Sniper in mass.

 

Movies like that fails all the time, probably more often than not (under 80% on RT, 0 star powers, not an horror or franchise movie). In the last 10 year's selling a movie that do not look like an happy ride during the holiday season isn't easy, even Fincher Girl with a Dragoon tattoo didn't manage to do it.

 

We kind of overbought the star power is dead because of how unreliable it is, but put Gone Girl level of cast in this and Gone Girl critical reception and I am not sure we would have the this movie is failing because of political division talk right now.

 

Or it could have got worst and worst in the last 5 year's and being the case.

Exactly, preaching to the crowd. I'm not blaming either side of the political spectrum for this, because it seems pretty prominent everywhere. And yea, I'm definitely guilty of it too. I didn't watch Unplanned because I do NOT agree with that movie (and I will never watch it no matter what anyone says to me) which yea, makes me a hypocrite to what I'm saying in the first place. But damn, it's such a complicated issue that I shouldn't try and blame anyone individually for it. 

[JB33]

1 minute ago, WittyUsername said:

This doesn’t have anything to do with socialism. This has to do with tribalism, which both ends of the political spectrum have adopted to absurd degrees. This isn’t just the fault of liberal journalists. Conservatives deserve blame for this as well. For God’s sake, the President’s son (who happens to be a middle aged man) was encouraging people to troll their liberal family members for Thanksgiving. Both sides need to stop with this nonsense. 

Yes, I see what you mean. I was specifically referring to what @DAJK said about the attitude of "this is good (or this belief is okay) and this is evil (this belief is not okay). I see it everywhere.

 

I suppose, though, that tribalism is more specifically relevant to what we're discussing - movies.

[Neucentro]

14 hours ago, Porthos said:

I tend to doubt most people even knew about the controversy.

 

Probably more that we've had a string of films geared to the adult crowd and they just went "meh" on this one.

I mean those reading about the controversy tend to be the ones interested in seeing the movie. Controversies usually help gain awareness. But the reveal of such cheap plot cliche could turn potential viewers away.

[DAJK]

4 hours ago, JB33 said:

Yes, I see what you mean. I was specifically referring to what @DAJK said about the attitude of "this is good (or this belief is okay) and this is evil (this belief is not okay). I see it everywhere.

 

I suppose, though, that tribalism is more specifically relevant to what we're discussing - movies.

"this is good and this is bad" can be applied to both sides of the political spectrum

[DeeCee]

30 minutes into the film and a women near me whispered to her husband. “Is this based on a true story?”