Joe Bell (film)

In LaGrande, Oregon teenager Jadin Bell tells his father, Joe, that he is being bullied in school because he is gay. Joe tells him that he should know how to defend himself and to let nature take its course and it will work itself out. Jadin's mother, Lola, disagrees and assures Jadin that they love him. Joe and Lola let Jadin join the cheerleading squad, but Jadin recognizes his father's embarrassment. Later, Joe tells Jadin that he loves him and will try to be a better person.

Jadin is harassed by a group of jocks. At the football game, Jadin performs, but is heckled by the crowd. Joe does nothing, only taking Lola and leaving the stands. At home, Jadin receives harassment on social media. His younger brother Joseph comforts him.

Nine months later, Joe gives a presentation about tolerance and the harmful effects of bullying at a high school. Jadin, a guide in Joe's mind, watches from the back of the auditorium. Afterward, Joe and Jadin set up a campsite along the highway to sleep for the night. Jadin criticizes him for his speech being a lie.

Joe and Jadin walk the highway in Idaho and then stop at a diner to eat. In the diner, the news on the TV mentions same-sex marriage, which receives mockery from the patrons. Despite Joe's attempts to inform the diners of his mission, Jadin tells Joe that it won't change those men, that it's not the attendees of the lectures but people like that and their kids.

Joe tells Jadin that he was supportive of him and Jadin points out that Joe only came to one game and left during. They arrive in Salt Lake City, where Joe goes to a gay bar and meets some patrons, telling them about his walk. When asked why he didn’t bring his son, Joe tells them that his son is dead.

Lola and Joseph come to visit Joe. We also realize that Joe feels hatred against those who bullied his son Jadin. But Lola tells him to figure out if he’s walking for fame or walking for Jadin and if he is really walking for Jadin, Jadin will let him know when it’s time to come home. Lola leaves with Joseph and Joe continues his walk, giving speeches and talks and interviews on various news programs. Later, Lola calls Joe and tells Joe that she found an essay that Jadin wrote. She reads it to Joe, and it is all about feeling different and bullied and how badly he wants it to be over. In a flashback, Jadin is assaulted by the jocks in the locker room. He and his parents meet with a school administrator, who advises Jadin to perhaps transfer schools or go to therapy. She counsels them not to press charges, and the boys continue to harass Jadin across social media. One morning, Lola finds Jadin’s suicide note as a jogger comes across Jadin’s body, having hung himself on the football field goalpost. Distraught, Joe tells Lola he’s decided to walk across America to New York City, to raise awareness about bullying, and that he’s doing it for Jadin.

Sheriff Gary Westin pulls over to investigate the man on the road, and Joe explains his story. Westin brings Joe in for a hot meal and sets up a speaking engagement at the local high school. Westin tells Joe that his son Will is gay, and they bond over their experiences. Westin tells him he didn’t consider until now that his son might have considered taking his own life, and that he doesn’t think he could have gone on if he had. Joe tells him he never let Jadin know it was okay and he has to live with that, and urges Westin not to make the same mistake.

Joe continues walking and once again sees Jadin. Joe apologizes, and Jadin tells him he always knew that Joe loved him, he was just in a lot of pain. They reconcile, and Joe calls Lola, leaving a message telling them he loves them and thanking them for putting up with him. He promises to be better about staying in touch.

One night, Westin receives an emergency call and arrives at the scene where a truck driver had fallen asleep and hit a pedestrian, Joe, instantly killing him.

Joe and Jadin are seen walking away together in the sunlight.

• Mark Wahlberg as Joe Bell
• Reid Miller as Jadin Bell
• John Murray as Lost Boy
• Connie Britton as Lola Bell
• Maxwell Jenkins as Joseph Bell
• Gary Sinise as Sheriff Westin (based on Sheriff Tom Nestor)
• Blaine Maye as Boyd Banks
• Ash Santos as Kim
• Igby Rigney as Chance
• Morgan Lily as Marcie
• Scout Smith as Colleen
• Cassie Beck as Mrs. Swift
• Charles Halford as Will
• Tara Buck as Mary Ivy

In April 2015, it was announced Cary Joji Fukunaga would direct the film, from a screenplay by Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana. Fukunaga would produce the film, while Daniela Taplin Lundberg, Riva Marker and Eva Maria Daniels would produce the film under their VisionChaos Productions and Parliament of Owls banners, respectively. A24 would produce and distribute the film.[4]

In April 2019, Mark Wahlberg, Reid Miller, Connie Britton, Maxwell Jenkins and Gary Sinise joined the cast of the film. Reinaldo Marcus Green would direct the film, replacing Fukunaga who was still attached as a producer, with Wahlberg, Jake Gyllenhaal and Stephen Levinson serving as producers, and A24 no longer distributing and producing.[5][6][7] Principal photography began on April 15, 2019, and ended May 24, 2019.[8][9]

Under the title Good Joe Bell, the film had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival on September 14, 2020.[10] Shortly after, Solstice Studios acquired distribution rights to the film for $20 million.[11] It was scheduled to be released on February 19, 2021.[12] However, it was pulled from the schedule.[13] In May 2021, it was announced that Roadside Attractions acquired distribution rights to the film from Solstice and set it for a July 23, 2021 release, with Vertical Entertainment set to distribute the film digitally following its theatrical release.[14]

• Joe Bell at IMDb
• Joe Bell at Rotten Tomatoes