Lovely Jackson

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Lovely Jackson

Released Oct 4, 2024

1h 44m

Drama

Crime

Documentary

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7 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

LOVELY JACKSON is exonerated prisoner Rickey Jackson's daring first-hand account of the psychology of survival and spiritual fortitude required to withstand 39 years of wrongful incarceration for a murder he didn't commit. At the time of his release in 2014, Rickey was the longest wrongfully incarcerated person in U.S. history--spending 39 years on death row and in Ohio's most dangerous prisons after being convicted solely on the coerced eye-witness testimony of a 12-year-old neighborhood paper boy. Lovely Jackson sees Rickey return to the prison where he was sent in 1976 on his way to the electric chair where he narrates and stars in reenactments alongside professional actors (one playing his younger self), and the (then) 12-year-old paper boy, now in his late 50's. Lovely Jackson is a boldly cinematic, epic journey that begins in tragedy, hopelessness, injustice, and death, but ends in hope, beauty, and new life.

Dwight Brown

DwightBrownInk.com

Long-winded but worthy.

Rated: 2.5/4

Jul 9, 2022

Full Review

Donnie Lopez

Black Girl Nerds

The experiences of one man and his message of resilience, forgiveness, and strength in the face of an imaginable burden proves to everyone that no one is lost, even in a world that seems to forget about them

Rated: 4/5

Apr 17, 2023

Full Review

Ryan Syrek

The Reader (Omaha, NE)

It’s not “okay” because Rickey is now okay. This is grotesque. This is horror. This is the worst of which humanity is capable. The film is, perhaps, a bit too lovely. It is, perhaps, a bit too taken by the notion of forgiveness. But it is absolutely vital

Rated: A-

Mar 31, 2023

Full Review

Carla Hay

Culture Mix

It not only shines a light on a tragic failure in the U.S. criminal justice system but also offers a beacon of hope. Rickey Jackson tells his story of being wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for murder in this artfully directed and riveting documentary.

Dec 12, 2022

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Carey-Ann Pawsey

Orca Sound

Many films are built up to be about hope and perseverance but fall short. this doc does not.

Rated: 3/5

Nov 13, 2022

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Jared Mobarak

The Film Stage

The exercise therefore exists somewhere between your conventional true crime drama dissecting facts via interview and the heightened, visceral approach of Robert Greene's Procession.

Rated: B

Oct 18, 2022

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Cameron

Powerful story of resilience and forgiveness told in artful fashion. A must see! Great film.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

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Matt D

An emotinally charged documentary. Great story of forgiveness and redemption.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/21/25

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Travis A

At DocLands, the film felt electric. Seeing Rickey and director Matt Waldeck in person, their connection to the story was palpable in that theater. It’s not just powerful documentary filmmaking—it’s transformative. After this screening, I left feeling deeply moved and profoundly hopeful. Long story short: Lovely Jackson is a triumph of storytelling and an essential cinematic experience. If DocLands hadn’t already named it an Audience Impact Award winner, they’d be missing the point—this film demands engagement and leaves you changed.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/20/25

Full Review

Jack T

If you believe that innocence and forgiveness are vanishing from our society, then you must see Lovely Jackson. If you believe that prisons are for prisoners, then you must see Lovely Jackson. If you believe in unbreakable human spirit, then you must see Lovely Jackson. If you believe that a movie can bend time, then you must see Lovely Jackson. It is that good, that amazing, and that much of a triumph!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

Ben H

Just saw this on Amazon and it’s incredible. How someone could go though this and come out the other side in one piece is just a testament to the human spirit.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

Katie W

This film will change your capacity to forgive and sheds a new light on how wrongful incarceration impacts people. I do not know how they did it but the filmmakers summarize the emotional toll of 39 years of wrongful incarceration in under two hours. Rickey's story provides a very emotional and human side of the injustice in our "justice" system and will change your life. Please watch this important film it's on amazon prime

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

06/19/25

Full Review

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Matt Waldeck

Director

Mario Beverly

Young Rickey Jackson

Tom Bruce

Innocence Project Attorney

Deshaun Carter

Wheelman

Rickey Jackson

Self

Rickey Jackson

Producer

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Synopsis

LOVELY JACKSON is exonerated prisoner Rickey Jackson's daring first-hand account of the psychology of survival and spiritual fortitude required to withstand 39 years of wrongful incarceration for a murder he didn't commit. At the time of his release in 2014, Rickey was the longest wrongfully incarcerated person in U.S. history--spending 39 years on death row and in Ohio's most dangerous prisons after being convicted solely on the coerced eye-witness testimony of a 12-year-old neighborhood paper boy. Lovely Jackson sees Rickey return to the prison where he was sent in 1976 on his way to the electric chair where he narrates and stars in reenactments alongside professional actors (one playing his younger self), and the (then) 12-year-old paper boy, now in his late 50's. Lovely Jackson is a boldly cinematic, epic journey that begins in tragedy, hopelessness, injustice, and death, but ends in hope, beauty, and new life.

Director: Matt Waldeck
Producer: Rickey Jackson, Matt Waldeck, Ben Hecht, Travis Killian, Jillian Wolstein
Screenwriter: Rickey Jackson, Matt Waldeck
Distributor: Innocent Prisoner Advocates
Production Co: Zodiac Features
Genre: Drama, Crime, Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 4, 2024, Limited
Runtime: 1h 44m

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