Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Why Mainstream Critics Are Panning Clint Eastwood's Latest Film, Richard Jewell
American Thinker ^ | 12/23/2019 | T.R. Clancy

Posted on 12/23/2019 2:58:44 PM PST by SeekAndFind

Not every mainstream movie critic hates Clint Eastwood's highly affecting Richard Jewell.  But the critics who hate it hate it an awful lot. 

The story of how an out-of-control FBI and a "completely irresponsible press" ruined the life of the heroic security guard whose quick action saved many lives during the 1996 Centennial Park bombing is legitimately viewed as Eastwood's take on what's happening in America right now.  The irony that the movie was released the same week as the I.G. report exposing the FBI's lawlessness in Crossfire Hurricane must be particularly galling for mainstream journos who staked their reputations on the Russia collusion hoax.

Just how timely Eastwood's morality tale about government abuse may turn out to be is proved in the abysmal disconnect of NPR reviewer Chris Klimek's question: "Why might he have chosen, at this perilous moment in our history, to make a movie that depicts not just the press but also the FBI as fundamentally corrupt and uninterested in the truth?"  Why, indeed.

The negative reviews of Jewell cite Olivia Wilde's portrayal of Kathy Scruggs, the real-life Atlanta Journal-Constitution police-beat reporter who broke the story that the Feds were targeting Jewell.  In the movie, Scruggs trades sex for a tip from an FBI agent (played by Jon Hamm), who divulges that they suspect the good-old-boy security guard of planting the bomb just so he could play the hero by discovering it.  The film's detractors say the idea that Scruggs would trade sex for a scoop is unimaginable.  Katie Walsh at The Morning Call fumes that "[screenwriter Billy] Ray and Eastwood lean into the ugly stereotype that female journalists are drunken floozies who get their tips through sex."  Vox grumbles that the character was "written as an over-the-top bitch in heels."  


(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2020election; billyray; chrisklimek; clinteastwood; collusion; crossfirehurricane; defundnpr; defundpbs; dnctalkingpoint; dnctalkingpoints; election2020; fbi; film; jonhamm; kathyscruggs; katiewalsh; mediawingofthednc; npr; oliviawilde; partisanmediashills; pbs; presstitutes; richardjewell; russia; smearmachine; themorningcall; vox
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

1 posted on 12/23/2019 2:58:44 PM PST by SeekAndFind
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Because it shows how corrupt the FBI is.


2 posted on 12/23/2019 2:59:23 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats only believe in democracy when they win the election.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
"Why might he have chosen, at this perilous moment in our history, to make a movie that depicts not just the press but also the FBI as fundamentally corrupt and uninterested in the truth?"

Is this a trick question?

3 posted on 12/23/2019 3:00:07 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (Democrats only believe in democracy when they win the election.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

RE: Is this a trick question?

More importantly, how is that question related to critiquing the merits of the movie itself?


4 posted on 12/23/2019 3:03:58 PM PST by SeekAndFind (look at Michigan, it will)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I have known one retired FBI Special Agent in my life. He was a complete POS and cost me a great deal of money and a once in a lifetime career opportunity. That happened about 25 years ago. He’s probably dead by now. I need to find his grave so I can go p1$$ on it.


5 posted on 12/23/2019 3:04:34 PM PST by RatRipper
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

I saw it and thought it was awesome!


6 posted on 12/23/2019 3:05:00 PM PST by spacejunkie2001
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Excellent write up. Will watch the movie when it comes out on DVD, as I don’t do the big screens anymore. 8>)


7 posted on 12/23/2019 3:08:37 PM PST by Robert DeLong
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

The critics tried to sabotage the movie by not reviewing it at all.

After that failed and the movie generated buzz anyway, isn’t it a bit late to try to convince people that its actually a bad movie.


8 posted on 12/23/2019 3:09:44 PM PST by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All

Go see this Movie!



9 posted on 12/23/2019 3:09:45 PM PST by AnthonySoprano
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind
" . . . the ugly stereotype that female journalists are drunken floozies who get their tips through sex."

Somehow I've never heard of that "ugly stereotype." I've been watching and listening to female journalists for decades and it never occurred to me that they get their tips through sex. I think this "ugly stereotype" is something they just made up for the sake of obtaining victim status, which is so cherished these days.
10 posted on 12/23/2019 3:10:39 PM PST by Steve_Seattle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

The left has been criticizing the FBI and CIA for decades, sometimes with good reason, but suddenly the left treats them as sacrosanct, above criticism, even suggesting that any criticism of those agencies is unpatriotic or even treasonous.


11 posted on 12/23/2019 3:13:02 PM PST by Steve_Seattle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: spacejunkie2001

>>>>I saw it and thought it was awesome!

I liked it a lot too and have been telling my friends and family that if they see one movie over Christmas, they need to make it this one.

Here’s a fairly good article about the movie that I can agree with and also gets to the question of why critics are panning the movie.... https://stream.org/want-to-understand-the-impeachment-dont-watch-the-hearings-watch-richard-jewell/


12 posted on 12/23/2019 3:13:06 PM PST by hecticskeptic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: All

Most Critics are whores when it comes to the “cause”. They will pan this without even seeing it because they know what it reveals about the FBI and MSM. Same will hold true when the awards start being discussed. There is 0 chance this will get any consideration for anything. It could be the finest film ever made but that will not matter at all.


13 posted on 12/23/2019 3:13:31 PM PST by gibsonguy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: MrEdd

We live in a time where critics give the Marvel/MCU garbage high scores all because of it’s politics, but a good movie with politics they don’t agree with they pan. We ALL KNOW the Jewell story, and who can disagree with how bad the press and FBI acted? Are they braindead! Nevermind.
They were sued after all. The left are truly anti science propagandists at this point.


14 posted on 12/23/2019 3:14:04 PM PST by snarkytart
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SeekAndFind

Why? Because they don’t like him being a filthy rick conservative.


15 posted on 12/23/2019 3:16:12 PM PST by ImpBill (Conservative voter sans political Party!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum
Because it shows how corrupt the FBI is.

But, but, wait!
We are lectured every day that there are thousands of good, hard-working, honest agents who do everything by the book, and, and, it's just a couple of corrupt dudes and dudetts at the top who are the problem.

B.S. The entire organization should be dissolved and replaced.

16 posted on 12/23/2019 3:17:33 PM PST by Cuttnhorse (Never fear the cow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

And the media. Don’t forget the media. But we knew that. Saw the flick last week with free tickets. Snacks, not so free. We enjoyed it.


17 posted on 12/23/2019 3:18:04 PM PST by rktman ( #My2ndAmend! ----- Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Steve_Seattle

Reminds be of Barbara Walters rise to fame.


18 posted on 12/23/2019 3:19:04 PM PST by Parmy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

LOL!


19 posted on 12/23/2019 3:19:46 PM PST by samtheman (U.S. out of the U.N. --- U.N. out of the U.S.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: E. Pluribus Unum

I liked movie. Just saw it. Box office is terrible due to Drive Byes saying it is about Trump


20 posted on 12/23/2019 3:19:54 PM PST by shalom aleichem (Barr and Durham! Get movin'. Time's awastin')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-62 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson