Richard Jewell flopped so hard, it’s Clint Eastwood’s worst opening in four decades

Who cares?

why is he still making movies, retire now.

Who exactly was this movie for?

Well, the Fox News crowd that hates "enemies of the people": FBI & journalists

I'm glad it flopped hard. Clint Eastwood = box office poison

It needed more Hillary Swank.

Eastwood = Million Dollar Booby

Wait, this movie was seriously called Richard Jewell?! Maybe that's why it flopped. I thought it was called something else. Take a lesson from Disney. Instead of Rapunzel, call it Tangled. Instead of The Ice Queen, call it Frozen.

This just looked boring. It would have done better on a streaming platform.

I blame Meryl Streep for not taking on the role of Richard Jewell, it would have been her ultimate triumph, her Albert Nobbs.

Exactly R3, it was for the "journalists are the enemy of the people" folks.

Fuck Clint.

It’s for incels, op. It was made for incels.

He should retire and go talk to an empty chair.

He's almost 90. Why can't he just exit with some dignity?

I don't understands why the patriot Americans do not flocks to this wonderful movie that blames the FBI and the deep states for all the ill that patriot Americans face from the leftist peoples. Mr. Eastwood is like the president Donald Trump for being the good patriot who shows us how the deeps state is destroying our country from the insides. We should all goes to this wonderful patriot movie and applaud for America!

i read that eastwood also takes/took more then a few "liberties" with the actual truth of the story! why not make it a documentary and accurate? because of his ego and spreading right wing conspiracy deep state and whatever else b.s.

I told you we should have cast Richard Jewell sexier!

He took liberties by making Richard Jewell's mom have sex with an FBI agent (played by Jon Hamm) to gain info.

"Exactly [R3], it was for the "journalists are the enemy of the people" folks."

And those old, lard assed white folks were glued to their TV's watching football.

I didn't like the scene where Hillary planted the bomb.

Does he have to be so fat??

R19, is Hillary in this? Why is she in all the Eastwood movies? She wont get an Oscar again.

R17 Kathy Bates offered poontang to Jon Hamm, and he accepted? That's hard to believe.

Eastwood is committed to turning Deplorables into folk heroes. It is time for his film career to end.

This is what Netflix is for, in the old days we called it straight to video.

The big controversy is that it showed an Atlanta newspaper journalist sleeping with the FBI agent so he'd share info with her.

A, it's apparently not true

and

B, as if Jon Hamm would need to have some kind of quid pro quo to have that beautiful cock of his serviced.

[quote] Eastwood is committed to turning Deplorables into folk heroes. It is time for his film career to end.

He's made a few very good movies, but he's made more bad ones. I find him terribly overrated.

I still can't believe he took Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, a story that was so fascinating it literally told itself, and fucked it seven ways from Sunday until it was almost unwatchable (Chablis was the ONLY thing that saved it.)

I actually want to see this movie, it just isn’t a movie I’m willing to pay to go see at the theater. As I grew up only three hours away from Atlanta and was in town for the Olympics, with my parents, when the bombing occurred, this story has always fascinated me. Regardless of how people might feel about the media and FBI in regards to Trump, it is undeniable that both the media and FBI smeared and ruined this man’s life, unfairly. He should have been hailed as a hero but was instead dragged through the mud, for little more than being fat, awkward, and living with his mother. He really does deserve to be made into a folk hero.

Theaters were asked to pretend the empty seats 💺 had paying customers in them.

My Fox-watching brother was thrilled to hear about this movie and couldn't wait to see it. Evidently there weren't that many others who felt the same way.

R29 I suspect most people who want to see it are like me at R27. We want to watch it but aren’t willing to go to the theater. It really seems like more of a Movie of the Week, than a theatrical movie.

Just like Sulky was a movie of the week even though it had Tom Hanks. That was a nothingburger of a movie. Don’t know why it was even made.

Clint’s next movie: A Chair Is Still A Chair, Even When There Is No One Sitting There

[quote] Who exactly was this movie for?

Deplorables, who are Eastwood’s remaining fanbase too. It’s clearly a takedown of journalists and “the deep state,” aka “the gubermint.”

R21, oh dear. (Your grammar is fine, but 'dont' needs an apostrophe.)

Tis floppe dbecause no one care about this story from over a decade ago.

This story was never all that compelling in the first place.

I think this is an important lesson/story to remember, that we should question authority/media, however I doubt Eastwood would make a similar movie where Fox News made up shit. Not saying the Atlanta Constitution were angles here, but this movie so clearly has an agenda, and people are so sick of agendas on both sides.

I had forgotten about Mr. Jewell though and he really did get screwed.

This is a movie that should have been made within five years of it happening, not thirty.

I am not surprised it isn't doing well. Even the 96 Atlanta Olympic games were a bit of a flop. The movie might revive some of those who cares feelings. All it needed was Jeff Foxworthy reciting "You might be a redneck" jokes, to complete the circle.

Interesting that Eastwood didn't focus the movie on Eric Rudolph, the Christian right, white supremacist who actually did this and other bombing.

Deplorables wouldn't like that

Are they sure Clint is still alive?

[quote] Interesting that Eastwood didn't focus the movie on Eric Rudolph, the Christian right, white supremacist who actually did this and other bombing. Deplorables wouldn't like that

Whoops, I meant to say interesting, isn't it....hmmmm

Kathy Bates chance at an Oscar nomination just fizzled.

She is well liked though so she will probably get it.

The movie needs a different title and more effective advertising campaign. Very few people remember Richard Jewell, and if they do, he’s not a compelling figure any longer if he ever was.

The surprising thing to me is that deplorables didn't flock to see it just to "own the libs," since liberals are all boycotting it because of the female-journalist-sleeps-with-source thing. It must be too brainy for them.

I agree that Richard Jewell got a raw deal, though.

Exactly, R8. No one under 40 even remembers this event.

R3 I hate liberals like you. What is wrong with this story being told. The press crucified this man because he was fat and a republican. Dam shame. He was a fkin hero, and falsely persecuted for nearly a year.

Yeah, I think when a story is Datelined and 20/20d to death, there's not much left to say. It was an intriguing string of events but it hardly needed a motion picture treatment.

Eastwood should have given his take on Dylan Roof. A plea for the confederacy. Tim Chalamet could have played the misunderstood young man and they could have Elvis to sing his Dixieland songs. The coloreds could sing in church and then BAM, the gun misfires! Who's to blame really?

I think attendance will likely pick up for this after Christmas.

Great column about this movie in Variety

[quote]I think attendance will likely pick up for this after Christmas.

That’s... not how movie attendance works. There’s a reason the opening weekend numbers are heavily scrutinized. Sometimes a small movie or one with low expectations becomes a “sleeper hit;” meaning it grows an audience after its initial release, but this is not “a small movie or one with low expectations.” It’s a big production from a big studio with a big name director. It’s a flop, nothing more.

I would watch it because it's interesting. Like the documentary about the baseball crowd that turned into a mob for the guy that wouldn't throw back the baseball.

It's interesting to see how character assasinations can happen to anyone.

[quote]The press crucified this man because he was fat and a republican.

R49, what the hell are you talking about? His political affiliation had nothing to do with it. I don’t even recall it being mentioned. Since you inject politics needlessly into the discussion three separate times in just one post, from telling another poster you “hate liberals like you” to signing your post “black Obama voter” (sure, Jan), it’s pretty clear you’re trolling HARD. Fuck off, troll.

Like many have stated, the timing was wrong. With Trump in the White House, anything that looks like it might have a conservative slant is not going to be happening big right now.. The fight to make a wrong , right, the struggle to prove yourself innocent, the little guy against the establishment, are all American virtues.

It might find an audience in future years. By then Eastwood will probably be dead, too.

[quote] He was a fkin hero

Oh, honey... no.

I haven't and won't watch anything involving Clint Eastwood since he talked to a chair.

I wonder why he didn't do a story about how FOX news besmirched a lot of very fine people, many of them far more deserving of our admiration than that real life Paul Blart suffering from delusions of grandeur.

[quote]The big controversy is that it showed an Atlanta newspaper journalist sleeping with the FBI agent so he'd share info with her.

For this unnecessary sexist bullshit alone, Eastwood should be force fed prunes with no access to a toilet or depends. Really, what a fucking asshole.

Clint Eastwood just really needs to fucking croak already. He's a waste of oxygen and resources.

I hope the journalist is going to sue him. How in the hell could they get away with something like that? Claiming she had sex with the agent. I don't understand how there isn't already a lawsuit if untrue. I'd be livid if a disgusting lie like that was claimed about me and destroying my credibility.

The journalist is dead r63

R7 I agree it would have been for streaming or maybe as an HBO movie.

I didn't know, R64. That makes it even more disgusting.

Amazing that both Scruggs and Jewell died in their early 40s

^I just looked it up. I didn't know anything beyond him being falsely accused

Maybe he'll do a story about how Gary Condit was convicted by the press, too.

[quote]I didn't like the scene where Hillary planted the bomb.

Thanks for the laugh.

Glad if flopped. Can’t stand Clint Eastwood’s arrogant ass.

I hope when a movie about Clint is made, they leave in the part where he beat women. Because unlike this bullshit, it's true.

Don’t forget Leonardo DiCaprio was a producer for this shitfest as well.

[quote]He should retire and go talk to an empty chair.

Well, there's a shitload of them he can talk to wherever his movie is playing.

As others have pointed out as I read more about this: Ironic that this asshole is taking liberties with someone's life...as he does a movie about the very subject.

It is probably a good film.

It just didn't look that good. And I agree who wants to see this kind of movie during the holidays. It needed bigger stars in it. Jon Hamm is box office poison.

R76, Clint is a good movie maker, but they're lies made for faux patriots. Even that American Sniper crap. That asshole was a racist and a bigoted killer. They make him out to be some Norman Rockwell painting. His widow even took money that was supposed to go to Vet charities.

His moves are like something out of what the Nazis were watching in Inglorious Basterds.

movies*

Chris Pine should have played Jewell. Then we'd have a movie. Olivia Wilde is bad luck too. A curse.

Jonah Hill at one point was considered for the Jewell role.

Jonah Hill was actually considered for the role of Atlanta, but then he lost the weight.

Thanks R54, you don’t know what you’re talking about but thanks anyway.

Who knew that a biased film about a minor terrorist bombing at a slopfest Olympics in the bigoted South U.S., starring a fat carbunkle fugly actor, would be a flop?

U gonna lick my asshole?

Has Trump tweeted yet? You know that shit is coming featuring him as the latest victim of the evil media and FBI

Not quite his worst opening. Jersey Boys (which should have been impossible to fuck up) opened even worse.

That really happened. The reporter was a filthy goddamned whore.

R26 Thanks for the warning. I am a few chapters into the book right now and will definitely skip the film adaptation after I've finished reading it.

If it were in the hand of some great director, it could very well turn out to be like The Lost Honour of Katarina Blum. But too bad, it was Great Gramp Clint's movie.

Why in hell was a movie made about Richard Jewell, a fat pig of a security guard? I really can't remember much about him, except that he was accused in taking part of a bombing at the Olympics but was eventually cleared. Big whoop! Why the fuck make a movie about him? His "story", it would seem to me, was boring as hell.

Nobuthy vanted to thee a movie bout my breother.

It is a good film with solid performances all around. It's a shame that Eastwood and the screenwriter defamed Scruggs because the role is the most entertaining Olivia Wilde has been but she can't bask in the role. Instead she has to defend her part in selling the lie.

It's an important subject, but the actor and the character are not very alluring. Clint should have cast someone who was attractive and well-built. No one wants to see a fat schlub in a dramatic role.

[quote] what the hell are you talking about? His political affiliation had nothing to do with it. I don’t even recall it being mentioned.

Exactly. This was 1996, before the fascist conservative faction was a thing, before everything was Them or Us. It just wasn't part of the public conversation about this event. It was more that this was a thing where finding an immediate villain was very convenient, and the cops/FBI made a rush to judgement, which the news media then reported (as they should have, although they could have asked more questions).

[quote] Why in hell was a movie made about Richard Jewell, a fat pig of a security guard? I really can't remember much about him, except that he was accused in taking part of a bombing at the Olympics but was eventually cleared. Big whoop! Why the fuck make a movie about him? His "story", it would seem to me, was boring as hell.

Because the media and the FBI, ruined an innocent person's life, for no good reason. And, in fact not only was he innocent, but the hero of the incident. It is a story that should upset any American, regardless of political affiliation, race, religion, or anything else.

[quote] which the news media then reported (as they should have, although they could have asked more questions).

That is a problem that the media has had for years, they aren't supposed to just report what the authorities tell them. The job of a journalist is to be skeptical of everything and to actually do their own investigation.

Eastwood looks like the living dead. It was shocking to see him in trailer

It's a tragedy but as others have said it's not a compelling story. The Oklahoma City bombing would make a better movie.

r78, What an incredulous statement. You sound so moronic and devoid of any intellectual argument. You are everything whats wrong with the left today.

Mystic River is one of the greatest films of all time.

Most people under 35 don't even know who Richard Jewell was

And people over 35 don't care enough to see a movie about it

Doesn't help that Wilde and Hamm are box office poison

Obviously this movie is not for the audience. Nobody went to see it. And if they think people are going to see it next week, your shit out of luck. A galaxy far far away is coming....

R87, Jersey Boys did not open worse. It made $13 million on its opening weekend.

Would be nice to think that if the old white male deplorables, Clint's assumed intended audience, are not turning out to "vote" for "Richard Jewell," they're not gonna turn out to vote for the Great Orange Evil One either. Maybe this is a predictor? We live in hope. Maybe the audience for fat white losers is diminishing?

[quote] Maybe the audience for fat white losers is diminishing?

Hate Clint, Trump, or the movie all you want. But, Richard Jewell, while fat, was not a loser. He was literally a hero in connection to the bombing. That is what has been forgotten.

Does this mean that Kathy Bates’ career is now in the shitter?

No one is blaming Kathy for this. She's talented and will always get work.

The movie's subject is dull. Who gives a shit about Richard Jewell? Nobody, judging from the box office returns.

Can we stop with the "his life was ruined" crap? He was only under suspicion for 3 months before he was cleared.

Frankly, there are bigger miscarriages of justices.

[quote]Frankly, there are bigger miscarriages of justices.

Like this today. It makes me sick.

Is Clint Eastwood's collapse finally complete?

I thought I read that Clint said his last film was going to be "The Mule"? Did he forget?

He does like empty chairs. Had alot this weekend.

R107 Look, maybe, the story wasn't as big a deal in other areas of the country, but as I have said, I grew up three hours from Atlanta. We were in another Georgia media market, and this story was basically the lead story for months, months of hearing his name and Olympic Park bombing. Even after he was cleared, if you mention his name many people, here today, they wrongly assume he was actually convicted of the crime, because Eric Rudolph, the actual criminal never got as much media coverage. That is called ruining his life.

Just like the lives of the Duke Lacrosse players were ruined by the media and law enforcement.

R108 That is objectively horrible, and everyone should be outraged by it. However, La Belle Hogg's tweet is beyond stupid.

[quote] Putting cops in schools is a threat to school safety that endangers the lives of millions of black, brown and indigenous children.

Why were cops put into schools? It is a specific reaction to violence that is experienced mainly by black, brown and indigenous children and teachers, especially in inner city schools. It is also stupid for a person whose fame rests on his school being shot up to be complaining about cops being at schools.

[quote]Frankly, there are bigger miscarriages of justices.

Right. Will Clint be doing a movie on the countless people who were on death row for decades (mostly black - and the type Trump puts out ads about saying they deserved the death penalty)?

Clint needs to stop making movies. He has no idea what people of today are interested in seeing.

You have to figure that at almost 90, this is Clint's last film. What a shame that he's fizzling out with a flop!

If he really wanted to go after the media and govt agencies, why not the media's bigger mistake: Pushing the lies for the Iraq war. Or would that not go over well with the conservatives?

[quote] Frankly, there are bigger miscarriages of justices.

Frankly, ANY miscarriage of justice or trial by media is equally wrong. I don't care if the person is white, black, Hispanic, Christian, Jewish, Atheist, Gay, Straight, rich, poor, etc... I wish we could all recognize our shared humanity instead of trying to categorize such things by the victim's demographics. I am now done with this thread!

r114 Clint's previous film "The Mule" made over $100 million at the US box office... so he knows what he's doing.

R118 Apparently a lot has changed in that short time.

r112, Right on my friend. All of your logic will MAKE NO SENSE AT ALL to the fringe left. The fringe left is the reason non political types think liberalism is a mental disorder. NOTHING you said was incorrect. Everything you said should be common sense, but fringe liberals don't like common sense, not if it trumps being provocative.

Yes Trump will probably be re-elected because of the fringe left.

More grief porn for the deplorables who think they are victims of everything and everyone in life!

Christ, just drop dead, R120. The "fringe left" aren't the ones who take this country into war. It's Neocon trash like you along with your buddies on the right and alt-right.

I was 29 at the time of this and I don’t even remember it. It’s really a story almost no one gives a shit about, thus the small box office. Better suited for pay cable or streaming. Eastwood always says he’s gonna retire or not act anymore, then he makes 5 more films. And to turn it into more right wing propaganda and attack on the media is ridiculous. No one wants to sit through this during the holidays.

I would go see this if Hamm has a full frontal.

Clint should have had him do that in “The Mule”.

It's funny that any time a movie the right wing Fox News crowd perceives as Leftist or woke or stars an actor they think is too liberal and outspoken doesn't do well at the box office, they take credit for it. They claim that it failed because the real Americans, meaning them, didn't support it. Here's a Clint Eastwood movie, their patron saint of right wing correctness (even though he has something like 9 kids by five different women, most of whom he didn't marry), and it bombed. I wonder what they'll say.

[quote][R78], What an incredulous statement. You sound so moronic and devoid of any intellectual argument. You are everything whats wrong with the left today.

American Sniper is in fact absolute garbage to any person who doesn't see things as "right" vs "left" but truth vs reality.

Or do you also think the revelation about the Afghanistan War is also "leftist" propaganda. You are what's wrong with AMERICA today. Every thing in your mind is about blaming the left. Trump is in office because of idiots like you who enabled him. Your lack of empathy and being selective in who you deem worthy of being considered human is why he's in office. Don't fucking blame the left for you being a shithead who listen to the most repulsive things come out of Trump's mouth or his actions or his tweets and ignore that to whine about the left.

listenS*

Elizabeth Banks ended him.

The Mule was a good film and should have ended Eastwood's career as a director. But, if he's got any level of health, he'll likely make another. His directorial style actually works for an old man (and now a very old man). He hires good actors, gives them no direction, let's his cinematographer handle the shots, doesn't do more than one or two takes, moves quickly. No great strain on the director.

I used to know Clint back in the Sondra Locke days... he's always been an "individualist" - in a sense, make right for Trumpist ideology. But I think the message for Jewell isn't an exposure of "the deep state and elitist media", rather the struggle of the individual against the large institutions that oppress. And it could quite possibly be a shit movie. His directing process is always like tossing the dice...

Correction: movie truth vs. reality.

Or how about NRA's response to school shootings and their demonization of teen gun control activists. And how they get their money from Russia. Oh, wait, I think I know the answer to that one...

"What an incredulous statement. You sound so moronic and devoid of any intellectual argument. You are everything whats wrong with the left today."

You're complaining about the left when Trump is in the White House?

The troll activity here has been really intensified lately. Impeachment deflection?

R131, "blame the left." Because that's how it works in the minds of "moderates" and enabling "liberals." The types of assholes who go off about the "fringe left" and "identity politics," but ignoring that identity politics is precisely what the Trump party stands for. Trump's entire god damned campaign was about trying to isolate people based on their IDENTITY.

This asshole who comes after me and the left ignores that the right-wing never saw a fucking mass shooting that they didn't blame on some "conspiracy" to take away guns. That they burned their fucking Nike merchandise because Colin K took a knee - silently.

How many liberals ran over protesters in their car?

r133 I'm pretty sure there's paid agitators all over the web currently. They will likely keep increasing in number.

This recent cohort of trolls has all the stench of the good ol' diseased whore Milky Loads and his sock puppets.

Terrorist based movie at Christmas. Check.

Fat guy as lead. Check.

Right wing agenda dog whistle plot. Check.

Sad, overwrought and scene chewing actors. Check.

It takes place in Georgia. Check

Wow, I think I have a hit!

Do they ever say "Hotlanta" in the film?

Oh R91 you're going to hell for that. But then again, I will too because I LOL'd so hard at that!

Does Kerri Strug make a special guest appearance in the film with her broken leg?

The leading character was unattractive which didn't help

Those were the bogus olympics where third class American athletes won everything, because the good countries stayed home.

The only reason I want it to succeed is every time an adult drama flops they just make more superhero movies and movies aimed at the 18-24 straight male.

R141, I think you're thinking of the LA Olympics in '84, because all of the major sports countries were present in Atlanta.

Eastwood couldn't get boomer deplorables off their couch watching faux news to go see this crappy movie, that's a fail Clint.

Of course, you are correct R143. Thanks.

r142, I normally hate superhero movies but they are better than dishonest crap aimed at deplorables

Maybe the Boomers ran out of money between getting laid off before retirement by corporations looking to save a buck, having to pay for their own health insurance until Medicare kicks in, and contributing to all the GoFundMes of anti-gay businesses trying to crowdsource their legal bills?

r17, it wasn't his mom, it was reporter. She has died and her friends and colleagues said this did not happen. And are pissed.

I heard about movie and though Nah. It's not really interesting because no one cares about RJ. Maybe if it was told from another angle, remorseful reporter. FBI agents who fell terrible about what happened, Eric Rudolph watching events unfold or the athlete who trained and trained for this Olympics, was set to perform or race when the bomb went off and then it was rescheduled and he fell apart and came in last.

Whatever premise they picked instead should have starred Tom Holland or Dev Patel as competing athletes. Taraji Henson as the FBI agent. And John Hamm as the reporter who tries to use his body to get some info. Now that the parts are gender swapped Clint can take his liberties because we don't identify it with the actual reporter or slander her.

If you're gonna change that much, might as well have Batman catch the real bomber.

This movie was made for a specific audience--Tucker Carlson.

And Clint Eastwood has never shown any reason why he should be directing movies. If it weren't for his previous "movie star" status, everyone would be wondering who in the world he blew in order to direct a movie. He has never directed a movie that cannot be considered "terrible."

R150 Stupid comment. Yes, a bunch of pretty mediocre movies. But some classic iconic movies (The Unforgiven, The Outlaw Josey Wales) and some truly quirky movies (Bronco Billy), movies that captured a time and place (Play Misty for Me), perverse (Tightrope), etc.

Frances Fisher seems like a really cool liberal lady. What's up with her and Clint?

Does Clint have a big dick? A big dick only gets you so far, guess that's why they didn't stay together...

I'll say this much for Clint - he never beat up any pretty women.

r142, I feel the very same way. The only reason I got political is because i don't understand the banishment these film is getting when none of these posters have actually seen it. Most of the cast are liberals. Btw I did not vote for Trump. I want more mainstream adult films.

r154 Have you seen the trailer? It's pretty obvious this movie was geared towards deplorables. These people think the white man is the biggest victim this country has ever seen. Sure i think it sucked what mr. jewell had to go thru but this movie is definitely pushing an agenda.

I love Kathy Bates, hate for her to have a flop

I have absolutely no interest in ever seeing another Clint Eastwood film.

It's a good thing Clint Eastwood's OTHER film this weekend was a hit!

[quote] With Trump in the White House, anything that looks like it might have a conservative slant is not going to be happening big right now

How ironic that you decide to focus on this being a flop, and not the dozens of woke flops such as Ghostbusters, Terminiator, Charlie's Angels, and perhaps worst of all, the latest Black Christmas which opened this weekend to even worse numbers.

As far as the journalist thing goes, what she actually did was so much worse than sleeping with someone to get a scoop. Why people decide to focus on this detail is bizarre to say the least. Besides, she does redeem herself, somewhat, by the end.

[quote] Pushing the lies for the Iraq war. Or would that not go over well with the conservatives?

You must be living under a rock. Both sides are trying to blame eachother for the Iraq war. Trump's base has even used it to try and discredit the intelligence agencies and members of the FBI.

There have been plenty of movies and stories told about victims. Richard Jewell was a victim, but let's not forget he was also a hero.

This whole thing would be better as an entry on 20/20.

Eastwood is done. His time is up. I’m still pissed at what he did with and to Jersey Boys, just a great Broadway show that he drained of charisma and personality.

Eastwood makes films no one else would. Jersey Boys was the lone exception. That was an odd choice to have him direct. I can't imagine anyone else making the kinds of films he does.

I'm still waiting on his 'A Star is Born' interpretation starring Queen Bey.

[quote]You must be living under a rock. Both sides are trying to blame eachother for the Iraq war. Trump's base has even used it to try and discredit the intelligence agencies and members of the FBI.

Yeah, it's real easy to be a moronic conservative now pretending they weren't cheering on the fucking war when they're currently playing Monday Morning QB on behalf of Trump as they attempt to keep pushing the Iran bullshit using the Iraq playbook of lies with their new crop of parasitic Neocons (on steroids) including Pompeo and Trump himself.

And Trump was for the fucking Iraq war. Congrats on knowing NOW what a lot of us real liberals knew and were called TRAITORS by conservative rats when the bullshit was being fed to those warmongering fuckheads - mostly CONSERVATIVE. Don't pretend that because establishment Dems were on board, a lot of liberals didn't know the truth while conservatives screamed traitor at the rest of us. Conservatives are ALL responsible for the Iraq war. Dems will never be at that same level for blame.

R164, you nailed it.

The Trumptards here are disgusting. Anyone who says “”Liberalism is a mental disorder” can get fucked.

Trump is unpopular with Neocons and faced liberal backlash for wanting to pull out of Syria and Afghanistan. And how do you explain the liberal disdain for Tulsi Gabard whose entire platform is anti war?

The Democrats are also provoking Russia, who is aligned with Iran and Syria. Talk about messing with something that should be left alone.

The primary aggressors pushing the Iraq War were conservatives. However, I think the role that the putatively "liberal " media played in spreading lies about Iraq has been whitewashed. Former president Al gore was an early opponent of the Iraq War and spoke out (bravely ) against it and was mocked by media outlets. The "left wing " journalist Michael Kelly wrote a disgusting op Ed calling the speech "vile and contemptible ", among other things. Another op Ed in the Wapo said that it would be insane to oppose war in Iraq, and only "Al gore or Frenchman would disagree ". Journalists who were embedded among troops help spread pro military propaganda. While the primary fault is the republicans, they received a great deal of help from the American media .

R166 She can’t hide her deep seeded toxicity.

She costars in an infamous anti-gay religious cult commercial.

[quote] Trump is unpopular with Neocons

And yet they voted for him. Every single one of those pro Iraq War, pro Bush Republicans voted for Trump.

[quote]Jersey Boys did not open worse. It made $13 million on its opening weekend.

Eastwood managed to take everything wonderful about the smash hit musical and kill it.

[quote] Frances Fisher seems like a really cool liberal lady. What's up with her and Clint? Does Clint have a big dick? A big dick only gets you so far, guess that's why they didn't stay together...

Dude, most women don't go out hunting for big dick. Not a priority.

I don't know what deplorables are watching these days, but I doubt it's Clint Eastwood movies. Maybe that's his problem. He hasn't truly been plugged into the right wing zeitgeist since Dirty Harry.

Wrong r172

Hated to see Karhy Bates be a part of that giant turd/porqueria.

You have to wonder what any of them were thinking when they decided to have the reporter sleep with the FBI guy. Having no proof that that ever happened, and considering the climate, they had to know it would cause controversy and take focus off the film. Was Olivia Wilde so hard up for work she would betray her principles ?

[quote]Was Olivia Wilde so hard up for work she would betray her principles ?

What is that even supposed to mean? She's an actress, she is portraying a different person. Do actors betray their principles when they portray murderers? It's a paying job working with a multi award wining director.

Some of you live in a fkin bubble or have no friend. American Sniper made over a half a billion dollars. Deplorable weren't the only ones going to see that. Numbers that high mean it was a mass general audience.

r175 The reporter being dead allowed him to slander her without the threat of a lawsuit, he basically Richard jeweled this reporter.

r177 you're allowed to write "fuck" on this board, dear.

R170 I wouldn't say every single one. The Bush's didn't. Those who did, however, considered Trump the lesser of two evils. They wanted their tax cut or were put off by the left's antisemitism.

Trump is a god damned Neocon on steroids and some of you alt-right types are too stupid to know it. Genuinely stupid people who can't comprehend that pushing an Iran War based on even more preposterous lies than the Iraq war IS THE DEFINITION OF A NEOCON.

You think because Richard Perle isn't in his cabinet, that Pompeo isn't an even bigger Neocon? Bolton being hired in the first place showed precisely who Trump was.

Neocons want endless wars particularly in the Middle East. The only reason we aren't currently at war with Iran is because every event they attempt to blame on Iran, no one is buying.

What is a neoconservative view?

Neoconservatives typically advocate the promotion of democracy and American national interest in international affairs, including peace through strength (by means of military force), and are known for espousing disdain for communism and for political radicalism.

[quote] Neoconservatives typically advocate the promotion of democracy and American national interest in international affairs, including peace through strength (by means of military force), and are known for espousing disdain for communism and for political radicalism.

Trump ran as an isolationist.

Trump has caved on Syria. He was criticized more by the right for bombing Syria for what was most likely a false flag attack that is still not being covered by the mainstream media. However, Trump was politically savvy to exploit American's anti war sentiment during the campaign.

R183 A nativist, not an isolationist. Remember his first reaction to his "lover" Kim? "Fire will rain down on you like never before..." Rattling his new swords. Intervening in the middle east, asserting increased support, military support for Israel. Not isolationist. Sending more troops to "the Kingdom" (Saudi). Not Isolationist. Sending military aid to Ukraine (and many, many other countries). Not isolationist. Supporting the covert removal of the Bolivian President. Not isolationist. Etc. etc.

Where he does vary some with Neo-Con orthodoxy - his romance with helping any cause that helps Russia. If he isn't "controlled" by Russia having something on him - it's curious why he varies in this way. The explanation that makes sense is Russia is dedicated to white supremacy and making Russia ethnically pure, has a nexus between the established Orthodox Church and corrupt oligarchs... so I guess that aligns with Trumps nativism.

[quote] Remember his first reaction to his "lover" Kim? "Fire will rain down on you like never before..." Rattling his new swords. Intervening in the middle east, asserting increased support, military support for Israel. Not isolationist. Sending more troops to "the Kingdom" (Saudi). Not Isolationist. Sending military aid to Ukraine (and many, many other countries). Not isolationist. Supporting the covert removal of the Bolivian President. Not isolationist. Etc. etc.

All of which he did with bipartisan support. Holding diplomatic talks with Kim Jong Un, however, elicited the most controversy.

[quote] Where he does vary some with Neo-Con orthodoxy - his romance with helping any cause that helps Russia.

He hasn't always acted in Russia's best interest. Our continued military presence in the middle east, continuing sanctions, and sending military aid to Ukraine doesn't benefit the Russians.

Our "presence" in the middle east has included pulling back in Syria and surrendering it to Russia. It has included pulling back from, and having not repercussions, on a Turkey-Russia military contract/agreement. It has included pulling back from supporting the Kurds, who have been a barrier to Russia influence on the ground in Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran.

Trump has no core values and is a sociopath. He is not anti-war, maybe war agnostic. He will start a war, destroy alliances (goodbye NATO in a second Trump term), and abandon our allies (just ask the Kurds how that worked out) to further his own personal motives (which is re-election so that he will not go to jail). It is that simple. Go watch the movie The Grifters if you want to understand the mindset of Trump.

As for Tulski Gabbard, she is no more anti-war than anybody else in congress. Just go look at her voting record when it comes to military appropriations. Her "dove" stance is just a gimmick to peel off the far left libertarian types to split the Democratic vote so Trump can win in 2020. She is a Russian/GOP operative, Hillary called it right.

R176 I know she's an actress. She is also an outspoken advocate for women. So for her to take a role that portrays this real woman in such a false light goes against what she says she believes.

Eastwood proves all conservatives are hypocrites. He makes a hamfisted movie about “liberal elites” falsely smearing someone’s reputation, and in the process he falsely smears someone’s reputation. Kathy Scruggs was a “liberal elite,” though, so it’s okay. As a woman, it’s all too easy for Clint to make her over into an amoral slut. He also took advantage of her being dead at the time of her public remake into a villian.

He’s actually a lot worse in his treatment of Scruggs than she or any other member of the media was in their treatment of Jewell. Those folks were just chasing leads in a rapidly changing news story. Eastwood made an entire movie to smear this dead journalist.

This thread was a bigger hit than the movie itself.

r184 What are you on about?

R192 The point is that Tulsi was correct in pointing out that the political establishment, both right and left, are still pro war. Now the thread can go back on topic.

r193 Democrats, yes, even "The Establishment", are not generally pro war. Most Republicans are. The reason people voted for the Iraq war was because they were told by the intelligence community (which was pressured to produce a specific result by the Bush administration) that Iraq had WMDs. That was later shown to not be true based on cherrypicked intelligence. If you look at who made, and is making the most money from war, they are all mostly Republicans. It's not that difficult. The Neocons did get us into war with Iraq, and looted billions from the US government in the process. Trump is not a neocon according to the definition above, but a lot of the people in his administration are, and a lot of Republican politicans are still.

Olivia Wilde strikes me as somebody who would do anything for a part, I wouldn't doubt she has done a lot of things to get famous

Tulsi conveniently wasn't in Congress at the time of the Iraq War. But she's said herself that she's a hawk when it comes to "terrorists," and that's what Iraq was sold as.

The new "non-interventionist" posturing of some on the right, like Tulsi's pal Tucker Carlson, is just that. Posturing. Which just happens to line up with Putin's interests, how about that.

R196, Tulsi seems more like a hawk than a dove to me. She certainly doesn't resonate any Aloha spirit that I've ever seen...

... except toward Trump & Putin anuses.

R197 She seems mean as hell, doesn't she?

The only thing that matters is it makes money and it will eventually.

Even Waterworld and Inchon eventually recovered their costs. ACTUAL costs, not Hollywood accounting costs..

It means that Eastwood's going to try to redeem himself. So he's going to come out with another movie at 90. Another movie about white guy getting the shaft.

Who should stick to country music

R201 White guys getting the shaft? It’ll be porn?

I think American Sniper cemented Eastwood's position as the right-wing fantasist, conservatard filmmaker.

I think yelling angrily at an empty chair for two hours probably did that.

Yeah, but your beloved Streisand has him to her house all the time. He is one of the few old fucks she turns up to praise? Repeatedly. He's a weirdo republican girlfriend destroyer for sure - what's her excuse for loving him? Meryl knows enough to keep her mouth shut. Eastwood is a talented director, better than that. To claim otherwise is just partisan crazy. But like Polanski, he is FORGIVEN by important hollywood liberals. Know your enemies. See the fakes in this world. Politics are everything. But they're not always about dem & republican. Old people are strange. Eastwood is not making propaganda so give that a rest. He has his values. Streisand is always spewing propaganda, and she loves Clint. Fake ass phony bitch. Know your real enemies.

Democrats say they don't care about Eastwood's politics because they don't want to admit that they care about the opinions of a 90 year old man.

I had family up in Carmel years ago, they all said Clint was a real gentleman. Years ago when he owned the restaurant I saw him and he was still attractive. These relatives were fiesty as hell so if Clint had acted too "Hollywood" they wouldn't have put up with it.

I haven’t seen it yet but I will. I hope it’s good because I like ‘little guy/gal versus the system’ movies.

As to Clint, I don’t take his political views seriously. Its all about whether the movie works.

[quote]Democrats say they don't care about Eastwood's politics because they don't want to admit that they care about the opinions of a 90 year old man.

What a dumb take. Clint didn't suddenly become a Republican. He was the Republican mayor of Carmel. Dems never cared about his politics. We've all known he was a Rep for decades. It was only after he started showing himself as entitled, white asshole doing interviews where he dismissed Trump's racism and bigotry, and talking to empty chairs and his bullshit ideology started infecting hie movie-making, that Dems became truly disgusted with him.

Correction: He was a non-partisan as mayor, but people knew he leaned right.

I'm sure he is a "nice" person. He just doesn't give a shit about poor people or the middle class, like all Republicans.

[quote]Even after he was cleared, if you mention his name many people, here today, they wrongly assume he was actually convicted of the crime, because Eric Rudolph, the actual criminal never got as much media coverage. That is called ruining his life.

This is hilarious. So he’s still famous to everyone in your little corner of Georgia despite most people having forgotten this 23 year old news relic, but somehow none of them got the news that he was cleared 3 months later, or that the Olympic Park bombing was the work of a serial bomber who also struck at a women’s health clinic and a gay bar in the same time period and general geographic location.

Really? Sure, Jan.

[quote]Even after he was cleared, if you mention his name many people, here today, they wrongly assume he was actually convicted of the crime, because Eric Rudolph, the actual criminal never got as much media coverage. That is called ruining his life.

This is hilarious. So he’s still famous to everyone in your little corner of Georgia despite most people having forgotten this 23 year old news relic, but somehow none of them got the news that he was cleared 3 months later, or that the Olympic Park bombing was the work of a serial bomber who also struck at a women’s health clinic and a gay bar in the same time period and general geographic location.

Really? Sure, Jan.

r206 you sound insane.

Clint may be a horrible director, but his son's hot though.

^ That's one of his non-bastard children. There's many others!

I was also in Atlanta at the time and it was a travesty the way they piled on Jewell . I always believed a lot of it had to do with his appearance. You had to have been there locally to understand how intense the whole thing was really. There was an extensive manhunt for Rudolph wich got very little news coverage,even when they captured him. Yet for months after any time the story was referenced Jewell was who they talked about. Atlanta was gripped by fear considering 3 bombs went off in a short span . This was before this kind of shit was a daily occurrence.

r218 Pre-9/11 it was white men who did all the bombing, if it was after 9/11 they'd be looking for a muslim.

Wonder why Clint never casts Scott in any of his movies ? He did one with another son back in the 80's

I’m sure red state retards will devour it when it debuts on pay-per-view (I’m sure that’s their preferred viewing platform ‘cause boxing y’all).

Scott was not a son of a wife - he was the product of a sexual liaison and Clint never had connections to him until Scott was an adult. I also remember reading something of a competitive "who's the Alpha" energy between the two of them when they did finally connect. But then, who knows or cares. Scott is "pretty" but a lousy actor without Clint's star quality, etc.

Funny how the "morals and values" crowd are willing to overlook Clint baby's mamas but still use the Bible to attack gays

R223, the GOP wouldn't exist if they didn't have white guys who are morally-bankrupt adulterers with multiple marriages and corrupt business practices to lead onward the "Christian soldiers."

That's because he's done what all of them *wish* they could do—fool around with a bunch of hot actresses. Condemning that would be condemning their own secret hopes and dreams.

Neither his first wife (Maggie) nor Frances Farmer are hot, by anyone's definition. And Sondra Locke was more nymph-like than hot. Dina Ruiz was earthmother-like, I guess a kind of hot.

R222, I don't buy that who's the alpha crap for one second. His dad is old enough to be his great grandfather for Christ sake.

I didn't know Scott was his son while I watched Invictus and saw this gorgeous guy in it and was shocked to find out it was his son and them immediately saw the resemblance.

Did they ever make a movie about the man and his son who shot people from inside their trunk? Now that was some weird shit.

[quote]Wonder why Clint never casts Scott in any of his movies ? He did one with another son back in the 80's

Scott had a small role in Flags of Our Fathers.

I don't think Olivia Wilde even intended to promote the movie in a major way. She was saying stuff like "Please, can we get back to Booksmart" when asked about the movie. She was eventually forced to make a (tone deaf) statement about the controversy. Then she backtracked, trying to have it both ways - to save face, I guess? But according to some of Kathy Scruggs' friends, family and colleagues, Olivia lied about getting in touch with them during her "research."