Mark Wahlberg and Gary Sinise Star as Fathers of Gay Sons in ‘Joe Bell’

Mark Wahlberg takes a break from action pictures to star in the family drama “Joe Bell,” set to open in theaters on July 23. Wahlberg stars as a father who sets off on a cross-country hike to honor his son, Jadin, after the boy takes his own life.

It’s based on the real-life story of the Bell family and Joe’s hike to raise awareness about bullying. According to his family, Jadin was bullied for being gay by his classmates in the small town of La Grande, Oregon.

Gary Sinise joins Wahlberg in the movie as a sheriff whom Bell encounters on his trip. Sinise’s character also has a gay son, and the men bond over their shared experience.

Sinise (“Forrest Gump”) and Wahlberg (“Lone Survivor”) have devoted considerable time and energy to charity, with a special emphasis on youth causes. The Gary Sinise Foundation has always paid special attention to military families and the Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation has provided support and opportunity to inner-city youth for two decades. Their decision to make a movie like “Joe Bell” isn’t a surprise.

Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry, who shared an Oscar for their screenplay of “Brokeback Mountain,” wrote the script. It’s the last screen credit for McMurtry, who died earlier this year. McMurtry also wrote the novels that inspired such film and television classics as “The Last Picture Show,” “Terms of Endearment” and “Lonesome Dove.”

Connie Britton stars as Joe’s wife, Lola, and Reid Miller makes his movie debut as Jadin. “Joe Bell” was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who just completed the upcoming Will Smith drama “King Richard,” about the father of Venus and Serena Williams.

Joe Bell was a man who had to learn to accept who his son was. Once Jadin died, he wanted to reach out to other parents and share his own story in hopes that he could make things easier for other kids who were coming out in places they weren’t likely to be accepted.

If the movie seems interesting and you don’t remember the Joe Bell story from news coverage in 2013, stay away from Google and let yourself see the movie with only the background information included here. It’s a powerful story and one best witnessed without knowing the outcome.

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