RICHARD JEWELL | FAMILY MOVIE REVIEW INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND KIDS

"RICHARD JEWELL"
(2019) (Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell) (R)

QUICK TAKE:: Drama: Initially labeled a hero for saving people's lives at an Olympics event, a Georgia security guard soon finds himself the prime suspect, both by the FBI and the press.

PLOT:

It's 1996 and Richard Jewell (PAUL WALTER HAUSER) has just landed a job working security for the Olympic games being held in Atlanta. He's an overzealous cop wannabe and sometimes steps outside of his responsibilities, but is diligent about his work. And thus when he spots a suspicious-looking backpack beneath a bench at night in Centennial Park, he alerts real police officers who call in the bomb squad and confirm that it's an actual bomb. As Richard and others calmly try to get bystanders away from that area, the bomb explodes, killing two and injuring hundreds.

Not surprisingly, Richard is deemed a hero for his actions and appears in TV interviews and is even approached about a book deal. Knowing nothing about such matters, he contacts a lawyer he knew from a previous job a decade earlier, Watson Bryant (SAM ROCKWELL), for help with that. The lawyer, who's since opened his own one-man firm with his assistant girlfriend, Nadya (NINA ARIANDA), agrees to help Richard.

But before that can happen, the FBI is alerted that Richard's previous behavior now tied to this incident seems suspicious, and thus FBI field agents Tom Shaw (JON HAMM) and Dan Bennet (IAN GOMEZ) bring in Richard for questioning, but under false pretenses. Richard eventually gets wary of their behavior and calls Watson who comes to his rescue. Things get worse when local newspaper reporter Kathy Scruggs (OLIVIA WILDE) seduces Richard's name from Tom and soon everyone knows that the security guard is suddenly the prime suspect, including his mother, Bobi (KATHY BATES), with whom he still lives despite being in his thirties.

From that point on, and with both the press and feds putting pressure on Richard for a confession, Watson does what he can to prove his client's innocence, all while blasting those groups for railroading an innocent man.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: Older teens who are fans of anyone in the cast or are interested in the real-life story might want to.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For language including some sexual references, and brief bloody images.

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