Jump to the good stuff: The Story | Some Thoughts | The Final Verdict
The Story:
Joe Bell is the true story of Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg), a man who set out to walk across the country to speak out against bullying in 2013.
The film begins with Joe walking through Idaho with his 15-year-old son, Jadon (Reid Miller). He recalls the events from his past that brought him to this journey, such as Jadin being gay and getting bullied in school.
As he travels, Joe speaks at a high school, stops at a gay bar for the experience, and opens up about his feelings for his son and the journey he’s embarking on. And through this journey, he gains a better understanding of himself and his relationship with his son.
Some Thoughts:
What sounds like an interesting story is a bit tired and dull. Most of the tedium comes from poor pacing and storytelling.
The film starts at the end, so it has to go back and forth to fill in the missing pieces. And the only way to do that is to have Joe experience things that spark memories. Normally this wouldn’t be an issue, but the walking section is not interesting, even with Joe’s son by his side.
Joe Bell spends more time on the walk, but all the drama is in the past. Because of that, we don’t get enough time seeing Joe gradually realize the part he played in his son being bullied to give the story the emotional impact it deserves.
The Final Verdict:
Joes Bell is a boring film that has its heart in the right place. If you haven’t seen Prayers for Bobby, you might want to watch that instead. Both movies have a similar message.
