Skip to content
MovieCove
Richard Jewell

Richard Jewell

The world will know his name and the truth.

2019131 minRMidcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
Director
Clint Eastwood
Starring
Paul Walter Hauser, Jon Hamm, Kathy Bates, Sam Rockwell

Richard Jewell thinks quick, works fast, and saves hundreds, perhaps thousands, of lives after a domestic terrorist plants several pipe bombs and they explode during a concert, only to be falsely suspected of the crime by sloppy FBI work and sensational media coverage.

Where to watch

Where can I watch Richard Jewell?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists Richard Jewell to rent or buy on Apple TV, and on no subscription service.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about Richard Jewell?

Richard Jewell earns 9 badges, led by Universally Loved and Top 5% of the 2010s.

Show 1 more
  • Rank
  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office
  • Cast

Reception

Is Richard Jewell worth watching?

Richard Jewell's Midcredits score is the 94th percentile of all films, from 254K ratings across 6 sources. 87% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

94th percentile

Better received than 94% of films

92nd percentile among Biography95th percentile among 2010s
Acclaim (how much people like it)89th
Approval (how many liked it)96th

74 /100

89th percentile of all films

87th percentile among Biography88th percentile among 2010s

Critics 68 · Audience 74

Audiences liked it more than critics did.

Rating distribution

A tight consensus around 7.5 — people broadly agree on this one.

87% liked it

96th percentile of all films

94th percentile among Biography97th percentile among 2010s
87% rated it 7–1013% rated it 1–6

Critics 77% · Audience 96%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 1 Oscar noms · 5 wins / 20 noms overall

  • NominatedAcademy Awards· Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
  • NominatedGolden Globes· Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture

98th percentile

254K ratings across platforms

96th percentile among Biography98th percentile among 2010s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 35% in 30 days

Box office

Budget$45M
Opening weekend$4.7M
Domestic gross$22M
Worldwide gross$45M

Returned 1.0× its budget — 87th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

Both fans and detractors agree the film delivers a strong, affecting central performance and tells a compelling story, but they clash on its historical accuracy and fairness.

Fans praised

  • Eastwood's restrained, purposeful direction
  • The powerful, passionate performances from the cast
  • The film's scathing, effective commentary on media and FBI misconduct

Detractors panned

  • The film's one-sided, fictionalized portrayal of real people, especially the female reporter
  • Key factual changes and artistic liberties taken without clear disclosure, undermining its message
  • A simplistic, sometimes shallow good-vs-evil narrative that lacks depth and nuance

What stands out

Acting90

Paul Walter Hauser's lead and Sam Rockwell's chemistry are constantly singled out as outstanding

Emotional impactDivisive70

Infuriating and poignant for fans; for detractors, undermined by the heavy-handed, one-sided framing

Pacing70

Tight editing and a constant rhythm make the two-hour runtime feel compressed, if slightly methodical

EndingDivisive55

The resolution is emotionally earned for some, but others feel it wraps up too neatly and omits key outcomes

Originality45

Familiar underdog-true-story formula; some say it's a good story told well, others find it standard

CharactersDivisive45

Criticized for shallow characterizations, particularly of the reporter and other 'villains'

Plot and story40

Seen as a straightforward, by-the-numbers retelling that sacrifices depth for a clear-cut narrative

Preferred by

No notable difference between any of the groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 7 points apart
  • Under-30s vs over-30s 6 points apart
  • Critics vs users 9 points apart
  • US vs non-US 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is Richard Jewell like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

No single mood: browse every movie of this kindNo one kind of watch fits it, so it is described by how heavy it is.

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark.

It leaves you angry. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Moods
TenseDreadCatharticTriumphant
Heaviest: middle
Register
Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.Brooding: Heavy, inward, weather-beaten.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneEastwood tells the story with a serious, grounded approach, never winking at the audience, letting the injustice speak for itself.
The ridePersistent dread and tension dominate the middle, as the FBI and media close in, with catharsis and a hint of triumph arriving only at the very end.
StructureTold in straightforward chronological order, following Richard from hero to suspect to exonerated.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Angry.

Infuriating · 4% of films: Leaves you angry at an injustice the film shows, never at the film.Thought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves you furious at the FBI and media for ruining an innocent man's life, and unsettled by how easily it can happen.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Monster
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21% (this title): Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% (this title) · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Overcoming the monster: A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated. · Oppressive state: A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).

21% of films fit this archetype

Why this archetypeAn innocent man is targeted by the FBI and media after a bombing he helped prevent, forcing him to fight back to clear his name.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfIdentitySelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% (this title) · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% (this title) · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Identity · 14% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsBetrayal · 5% of films
Warns its theme: Presents its theme as a danger or a coming cost.Societal stakes: Consequences reach a whole social order.Single lead
How it treats its themeAn earnest man's core identity as a law-enforcement wannabe is systematically dismantled by the institutions he revered, forcing a painful redefinition of self and trust.
StanceThe film warns that a justice system and press can destroy a decent man by treating him as guilty before proof, with broad societal consequences.

The world

Late 20th centuryUrbanDomesticInstitutionalRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Arturo Sandoval
SettingGeorgia towns and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Park during the bombing and its aftermath
MusicA mournful, understated strings-and-piano score that underscores the weight of unjust accusation without drawing attention to itself.

Content guide

Is Richard Jewell okay for kids?

R

Richard Jewell is rated R: “Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief bloody images” (MPAA). As of October 3, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (52/100), sexual content at mild (17/100), language at intense (70/100), drug and alcohol content at mild (27/100) and frightening material at moderate (57/100). Overall it is heavier than 22% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 21 other countries
  • UK15
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany12
  • FranceU
  • Ireland15A
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanG
  • South Korea15
  • Brazil16
  • Czechia18+
  • FinlandK-12
  • GreeceΚ
  • Hungary12
  • ItalyT
  • Poland18
  • PortugalM/12
  • RO12
  • Russia18+
  • SingaporeNC16
  • Spain12
  • Sweden11
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 49% of all filmsHeavier than 22% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 28%
Sex & Nudity
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 11%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 57%
Alcohol & Drugs
Mild
light for an R-rated film
heavier than 11%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 40%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does Richard Jewell have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in Richard Jewell?

Cast

4 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Paul Walter Hauser
as Richard Jewell
Breakout: Their highest-reaching film role at the time, and they went on to a career at least 3 times their standing then.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jon Hamm
as Tom Shaw
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Kathy Bates
as Bobi Jewell
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Sam Rockwell
as Watson Bryant
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Olivia Wilde
as Kathy Scruggs
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.
Nina Arianda
as Nadya Light
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Ian Gomez
as Dan Bennet
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.
Wayne Duvall
as Richard Rackleff
Dylan Kussman
as Bruce Hughes
Mike Pniewski
as Brandon Walker
Career best: Their highest-reaching film role by billing, audience size and rating.

Crew

More like this

What are movies like Richard Jewell?

Movies like Richard Jewell include Changeling (2008), Secret in Their Eyes (2015) and Shattered Glass (2003). Of the 12 closest matches, several are films by Clint Eastwood, and several are biopics.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

7 of these 12 share its story type: true crime. Those cards say what else they share.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with Richard Jewell?

2.3K other films share the rarest tag below, kind of film: true crime. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.