Joe Bell (2021) Roadside Attractions/Drama RT: 94 minutes Rated R (language including offensive slurs, some disturbing material, teen partying) Director: Reinaldo Marcus Green Screenplay: Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry Music: Antonio Pinto Cinematography: Jacques Jouffret Release date: July 23, 2021 (US) Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller, Connie Britton, Maxwell Jenkins, Gary Sinise, Morgan Lily, Blaine Maye, Igby Rigney, Coral Chambers, Scout Smith, David H. Stevens, Blake Barlow, Charles Halford, Jayne Luke. Box Office: $1.7M (US)
Rating: **
The anti-bullying drama Joe Bell comes from a good place. It’s sincere in its efforts to address a serious issue that’s been plaguing schools and other institutions for far too long. Nothing can ever take that away, not even the negative review I’m about to write.
For all its good intentions, Joe Bell is too didactic to achieve its desired emotional impact. Like the eponymous character played by Mark Wahlberg (Patriots Day), it talks at you rather than to you. All too often, I felt like I was watching one of those old afterschool specials dealing with teen-relevant topics like alcoholism, drugs, suicide and pregnancy. The subject in this case is bullying and the impact it has on victims. The victim in Joe Bell is a gay teen living in a small Oregon town evidently populated by toxic teens and narrow-minded bigots who prefer to sweep the situation under the rug rather than disrupt the status quo by actually doing something about it.
Directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men), Joe Bell tells the true story of a father who embarks on a walking trip across America to raise awareness about bullying. He’s doing it for his 15YO son Jadin (Miller, Play by Play), a sensitive type bullied by his classmates for being gay. Through flashbacks, we see the hell the boy goes through on a daily basis. He’s harassed in the halls, cafeteria and on social media. He doesn’t get a lot of reassurance from his dad who harshly orders him to fight back when he advises him of the situation. School officials do nothing after he’s assaulted by a**hole jocks in the locker room. One unhelpful administrator suggests he transfer to another school. The journey allows Joe the opportunity to bond with a son he doesn’t understand while learning a thing or two about himself.
Because Joe Bell is a true story, chances are you already know how it ends. If not, you can easily Google it. Either way, you already know a terrible tragedy occurs. I won’t reveal it out of respect for those who like to go into movies cold, even ones based on real-life stories. It’s what sets Joe out on his mission. He plans to walk all the way to New York City, stopping along the way to deliver speeches about bullying, tolerance and acceptance. It’s an admirable undertaking, but is he doing it for the right reasons? His wife Lola (Britton, Nashville) asks at one point if he’s doing it for their son or himself. Jadin questions his methods and intentions at every turn.
The non-linear structure employed by Green works against the movie. It only succeeds in giving Joe Bell a noticeably disjointed feel which, in turn, keeps the drama at arm’s length. I really wanted to feel Joe’s grief, but couldn’t. It isn’t just the narrative structure that hurts the film. It’s also Wahlberg’s lifeless performance as the title character. It is monotony personified. Most of the time, he appears to be sleepwalking. I wanted to like him; I wanted to like his character. I felt nothing for him except the desire to make him understand he’s not helping his cause any by talking at people. Like the movie, the man fails to engage his audience. Miller, on the other hand, is quite good as Jadin. I felt for him. He effectively conveys the helplessness, hopelessness and despair shared by all victims of bullying. The scene where he futilely begs a female friend for help is absolutely heartbreaking. It’s moments like this when we see the film Joe Bell could have been. The same can be said of any scene with Gary Sinise (Forrest Gump) who plays a small but significant role as a lawman who understands Joe very, very well.
In the end, Joe Bell meanders around for 94 minutes and ends up going nowhere. Sure, the main character connects with his son and learns a lesson, but who didn’t see that coming? I feel obligated to mention a surprise twist that really isn’t a surprise if you’re observant. Keep an eye on Jadin and his interactions with others on the road. Notice something odd? The same device was used in 2019’s Last Christmas. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. Despite its heart being in the right place, Joe Bell fails on too many levels to make any sort of impactful statement. A smaller, more personal piece with less narrative trickery would have been the way to go here. This is one time I would encourage a redo; it’s a story totally worth telling as long as it’s done right.
