Joe Bell (2021) Movie Drinking Game
Do a Shot: for every flashback
Take a Drink: every time Joe gets angry.
Do a Shot: for every “rousing” speech Joe gives.
Take a Drink: for every instance of bullying.
By: Movie Snurb (Four Beers) –
This new Mark Wahlberg film tells the true story of Joe Bell and his son Jadin Bell. Jadin is being bullied at school for being gay. Eventually Jadin decides to takes his own life. After spending nearly a week in bed, Joe gets up and decides to walk across the country, beginning in their hometown in Oregon and walking to NYC. Unfortunately, while in Colorado Joe is hit by a truck. It is a sad yet touching story about grief and helping people in a time of need.
A Toast
This is easily Wahlberg’s best performance in possibly ten years, maybe second to Lone Survivor. He gives an honest and relatable performance as the everyman Joe Bell. Strong and silent, yet beneath the surface runs deep emotions and love for the people close to him, even if he doesn’t show it well all the time. It’s nice to see Mark return to dramatic form from the kind of direct to DVD-style action films he’s be relegating himself to as of late. This movie won’t be it, but I’d love to see him get awards attention like another The Fighter performance.
The actor that plays Jadin Bell (Reid Miller) is quite good in his limited role as well. The story makes it easy, but his performance makes you empathetic for Jadin and understand what was going through his head. I hope we get to see more of what Reid can do in the future.
Beer Two
I get the point of the story is to be told from the point of view from Joe. But it feels like a misguided attempt at telling a story about bullying and what some kids who come out have to deal with bullying-wise at school because it is told from the perspective of a 45-year-old straight man. It feels very much of the films about race from the 80s and 90s being told from the point of view of a white person.
Beer Three
If they wanted to go the route of telling this story from Joe’s perspective then the film should’ve been more about grief and what we do with the time we are given with the ones we love. How we can feel guilt over their death even if we had no hand in it. Instead, the film toggles back and forth between guilt and a PSA against bullying so often that neither theme really comes through that well. Unfortunately, the film plays more like a one-note After School Special.
Beer Four
Because the film’s story is so shallow there’s really nothing to grab onto, and it honestly ends up being boring. Gary Sinise is a nice wake up call towards the end of the film, but his time is brief. Before him I looked at my watch a couple times, constantly being surprised at how much time was left for a film that is only 90 minutes.
Verdict
A story told with what I want to believe was with good intentions ends up falling flat. Even with a few good performances.
