Mark Wahlberg Walks Across America To Honor His Bullied Son – Deadline

Jadin is being bullied in high school. At first, his father refuses to accept his son’s coming out. “It’ll work itself out,” Dad says. Later, the boy is asked, “What about therapy?” The kid’s reply, “I don’t need therapy, they do.”

Jadin says later, “You don’t know what it’s like to muster up the courage to ask for help.” Then his mom finds the note.

Here’s the first trailer for Joe Bell, starring Mark Wahlberg and newcomer Reid Miller. Have a look above.

From director Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men and the upcoming King Richard), the pic tells the true story of an Oregonian father (Wahlberg) who pays tribute to his son (Miller) by embarking on a self-reflective walk across America to speak his heart to heartland citizens about the real and terrifying costs of bullying.

“Jadin knew before he died that you loved him and accepted him — that’s what matters,” the elder Bell is told. “I never let him know it was OK,” the mourning father replies. “I gotta live with that.”

Connie Britton and Gary Sinise also star in the pic from the Oscar-winning Brokeback Mountain duo of Diana Ossana & the late Larry McMurtry. Brandi Carlile’s Grammy-winning song “The Joke” features prominently in the trailer, as does Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” — in a sweet, surprising a cappella duet.

Roadside Attractions opens Joe Bell, which had its world premiere at Toronto last year as Good Joe Bell, exclusively in theaters on July 23.