Plot
In May 2013, Oregon mill worker Joe Bell is walking through Idaho with his 15-year-old son, Jadin. Nine months prior, Jadin revealed to his parents that he is being bullied at school because he is gay. Joe is accepting although still often uncomfortable; he supports Jadin when he joins the cheerleading squad but asks him to practice in the back yard, worried that their neighbors will pass judgement.
Along the way, they stop at a diner where the news on TV mentions same-sex marriage. When two patrons make a disparaging remark, Joe tells them about his mission – to walk across America in order to raise awareness against homophobic bullying – before leaving hastily. Jadin tells his dad that men like that won't change and that bullying starts with their children, who need to be educated properly about its effects.
Back in 2012, Jadin attends a Halloween party and meets Chance, a closeted homosexual; they share a kiss and begin secretly dating. At a school football game, Jadin is heckled by several people in the crowd for being a cheerleader and his parents get up and leave in embarrassment. Later, he is bullied on social media, but is comforted by his younger brother, Joseph. Chance then ends their relationship, scared that his parents will find out. Back on the road, Joe tells Jadin he was supportive of his cheerleading despite never showing it, and the two reenact Jadin's old routine in the rain after they set up camp for the night.
Joe and Jadin arrive in Salt Lake City, Utah. They check into a motel and Joe goes to a gay bar, where he engages with some locals and tells them his son's story. When asked why he didn't bring him, Joe tells them that his son is dead. Joe has been walking alone the whole time; Jadin's presence was all in his mind.
Jadin's mom, Lola, and Joseph visit Joe on the road. Lola shows Joe a note that was left on Jadin's grave, an apology written by one of the boys who had bullied him. Joe reacts angrily and takes it out on Joseph, leaving both him and Lola upset and fearful. When Joe is later spotted by some locals (after having seen him on TV giving speeches at various events) and takes photographs with them, Lola questions if he is walking for Jadin or for the fame. Back home, Lola calls Joe and tells him she found an essay Jadin had written detailing his experiences of bullying and expressing his desire to commit suicide.
Back in February 2013, Jadin is assaulted in the school locker room by a group of jocks. Joe and Lola meet with the school principal who advises Jadin transfers schools or attends therapy. Jadin tearfully refuses, claiming he is not the one who needs help. The bullying continues, particularly on social media. One morning, Lola finds a suicide note in Jadin's bedroom as a jogger discovers Jadin's body, having hanged himself in a nearby park. Lola rushes to the scene to find Jadin has already died. Days later, Joe, who has spiraled into a deep depression, gets into his car with a gun, but Joseph stops him. Joe then decides to walk from Idaho to New York City, where Jadin always wanted to live.
Joe calls Lola from the road and tells her he cannot walk any further, but she convinces him to keep going for Jadin. Days later, a local sheriff, Gary, stops Joe as he walks the side of the highway. He buys Joe a hot meal and they talk; Gary reveals his son, William, is also gay. He tells Joe that he has never considered that William has ever wanted to take his own life. Joe urges him to tell William that it is okay to be who he is, something he never told Jadin and regrets, knowing he will have to live with that for the rest of his life.
Joe continues walking and sees Jadin again. Joe apologizes and tells Jadin that he always loved him; Jadin says he knows. Joe then calls Lola and apologizes to her also, and thanks her for putting up with him. He promises to be better about staying in touch on the road.
In October 2013, Gary receives a call about a traffic accident in Colorado and arrives at the scene where a semi-truck driver had fallen asleep and hit a pedestrian on the shoulder of the US 40, killing him instantly. The victim is revealed to be Joe.
The film ends with Joe and Jadin meeting in a field, walking together towards the sunlight. As the credits roll, images and videos of the real Bell family are shown.
Production
In April 2015, it was announced Cary Joji Fukunaga would direct a film about Joe and Jadin Bell, 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, which had been titled Good Joe Bell. Reinaldo Marcus Green would direct, replacing Fukunaga who was still attached as a producer, with Wahlberg, Jake Gyllenhaal and Stephen Levinson also producing, and A24 no longer distributing and producing. [5] [6] [7] Principal photography began on April 15, 2019, in Salt Lake and Summit County, Utah, and ended May 24, 2019. [8] [9]
