Joe Bell main backdrop
Joe Bell main poster

6.5/10 • 227

2020-09-141h 33m

Drama

Redemption is a journey you can't take alone.

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.

Directors
Reinaldo Marcus Green
Writters
Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana
Editors
Larry McMurtry, Diana Ossana, Mark Sanger

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Mark Wahlberg

    Mark Wahlberg

    Joe Bell

  2. Reid Miller

    Reid Miller

    Jadin Bell

  3. Connie Britton

    Connie Britton

    Lola Bell

  4. Maxwell Jenkins

    Maxwell Jenkins

    Joseph Bell

  5. Morgan Lily

    Morgan Lily

    Marcie

  6. Gary Sinise

    Gary Sinise

    Sheriff Westin

  7. Tara Buck

    Tara Buck

    Mary Ivy

  8. Ash Santos

    Ash Santos

    Kim

  9. Igby Rigney

    Igby Rigney

    Chance

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Apr 13, 2022

6/10

Reid Miller is quite engaging here as the bullied gay youngster Jadin Bell. His time at school is torrid, and he seems unable to secure any help to protect him from the bigoted assholes he must face each day. His father (Mark Wahlberg) is supportive, but in a 'don't ask don't tell" sort of fashion, the appalling position also taken by the principal at his school. Eventually, the pressure all just proves too much and the young man takes his own life. This inspires his father to try to walk from their home to New York raising the issues of homophobia and bullying as he goes. Wahlberg's name is what will do the work here; his participation in highlighting these issues of both physical and psychological intimidation ought to resound with whomever watches this, reads about it, or sees any of his publicity blurb. As a piece of cinema, though, it's pretty mediocre. Barring a scene with the two leads doing a bit of a Lady Gaga routine, the drama and the acting are fairly sterile and it takes recourse to a few handsome, but cop-out, power ballads when the script runs out of anything meaningful to say. It's a shocking testament that this still goes on in 2022 in a nation that purports to be civilised - and though this film, in itself, is largely forgettable, let's hope the message isn't.

Media

  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster
  • Joe Bell poster

Recommendations

  • Hidden Pleasures main backdrop

    Hidden Pleasures

    6.0

  • And Tomorrow You Will Be Dead main backdrop

    And Tomorrow You Will Be Dead

    6.7

  • The Truffle Hunters main backdrop

    The Truffle Hunters

    7.7

  • The Fighting Temptations main backdrop

    The Fighting Temptations

    5.8

  • Italian Gigolò main backdrop

    Italian Gigolò

    5.4

  • Zone 414 main backdrop

    Zone 414

    5.3

  • The Catcher Was a Spy main backdrop

    The Catcher Was a Spy

    6.2

  • My Name Ain't Johnny main backdrop

    My Name Ain't Johnny

    7.1

  • Point Blank main backdrop

    Point Blank

    6.6

  • Under the Same Moon main backdrop

    Under the Same Moon

    7.7

  • Running Scared main backdrop

    Running Scared

    7.0

  • 7 and 8 main backdrop

    7 and 8

    6.8

  • Lost in Space main backdrop

    Lost in Space

    5.4

  • Swan Song main backdrop

    Swan Song

    7.2

  • Kidnapped main backdrop

    Kidnapped

    7.4

  • Night Teeth main backdrop

    Night Teeth

    6.4

  • Hillbilly Elegy main backdrop

    Hillbilly Elegy

    6.7

  • Cry Macho main backdrop

    Cry Macho

    6.0

  • Field of Dreams main backdrop

    Field of Dreams

    7.1

  • Home Team main backdrop

    Home Team

    6.7

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
$3,500,000.00
Revenue
$1,700,000.00
Keywords
high schoolsuicidewritingcheerleaderbullyingbased on true storyflashbackflash forwardhigh school studentteenage sexualitylgbtgrieving fatherteenage sonanti-bullyinggay youthgay theme