Going in, I had an idea how this movie would play out. A dad version of the Sigourney Weaver film Prayers For Bobby came to mind. But this
was different. Joe Bell (Mark Wahlberg) certainly made his mistakes but tried his best to love and accept his son's sexuality despite the backdrop of intolerant rural Oregon. His subsequent trek across the country with his anti bullying message was a journey by foot but also an emotional and cathartic one.
I didn't know this true story and I recommend that you don't read up on it before the film. I'm glad I didn't because a couple of times the story went in a direction that was completely unexpected. One, a smart director choice. The second, a tragic reality.
Performances were strong across the board. Mark Wahlberg has come a long way as an actor and he delivers an excellent performance here. Reid Miller who plays his son Jaden was also outstanding.
Will the right people see this and be impacted by it? Probably not. Nevertheless, it's a moving story that deserves to be told.
