Review of Only the Brave (2017) by Darryl M — 20 Oct 2017

It was fine. The cinematography was great.

Josh Brolin was very convincing as the Hot Shots supervisor.

The story line however, was one of the dullest I can remember. The movie tried to show the lighter side of the crew with constant pranks and inside jokes, but did very little to leave the audience feeling like they knew or could identify with any of the Hot Shot characters accept Brolin, his wife Jennifer Connelly, and Miles Teller. I felt Jennifer Connelly's acting, as the concerned yet frustrated wife, was the strongest. I expected to see more of a performance from Jeff Bridges and Andie Macdowell who I thought, (as Oscar winner and nominee) would receive more screen time.

It was difficult not to root for Miles Teller.

He may have been a choirboy in the opening of the movie, but his change of character was both immediate and permanent which unfortunately, left the viewers with a very flat performance devoid of expectation.

Like most viewers, I already knew the tragic fate of the 19 Granite Mountain Hot Shots when I walked into the theater. I was hoping to get a little more in-depth look at the type of individuals these men were outside of their respective jobs as wildlife firefighters. Regardless of how you feel about the movie, they will always be remembered & respected as national heroes, but much of their character still remains a mystery.