Queue the water works and the ugly cries because the most moving film of the summer, Joe Bell, hits theaters July 23.
From the Academy Award-winning writing team that brought us Brokeback Mountain (Diana Ossana & Larry McMurtry) comes the story based on true events about an Oregonian father who pays tribute to his gay teenage son, Jadin, who took his own life after being bullied and ridiculed by the world around him.
Joe Bell, portrayed by Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg, after being torn apart by his son’s death, embarks on a self-reflective walk from Oregon to New York to share his son’s story across the country and the trauma and fatal repercussions caused by bullying.
The film is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men and the upcoming King Richard) and stars Mark Wahlberg, Connie Britton, Reid Miller, and Gary Sinise. The film is 93 minutes long.
Here’s the official trailer for Joe Bell, in theaters July 23:
About Jadin Bell:
Jadin Robert Joseph Bell (June 4, 1997 – February 3, 2013) was an American teenager known for his suicide which raised the national profile on youth bullying and LGBTQ+ victimization in bullying, a crucial issue in the world’s LGBTQ+ youth. Bell was “intensely bullied” both in person and on the internet because he was gay. He was a member of the La Grande High School cheerleading team in La Grande, Oregon, where he was a sophomore. At the age of 15 he took his own life at a nearby elementary school playground.
Shortly after Jadin’s death, his father Joe Bell, initiated a cross-country walk to spread awareness against bullying that inspired the film.
Unfortunately, youth suicide is a subject on which we report too frequently.
The Trevor Project’s 2021 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health reports:
75% of LGBTQ youth reported that they had experienced discrimination based on their sexual orientation or gender identity at least once in their lifetime.
42% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, including more than half of transgender and nonbinary youth.
With narratives like the one told in Joe Bell, we can continue the dialogue about the irreversible effects of bullying.
If you or someone you know is feeling hopeless or suicidal, our trained crisis counselors are available 24/7 at 1-866-488-7386 via chat www.TheTrevorProject.org/Help, or by texting START to 678678.
Source: Roadside Attractions, The Trevor Project
So tragic that we lost a fellow gay to suicide . I hope this movie highlights ways people can help young gay youth.