Review of Patriots Day (2016) by Paul F — 15 Jan 2017

In a world filled with terror, violence, and horrific events that unfortunately happen on a regular basis, Peter Berg brings us a film dedicated to showing us how we, as humans, respond and react to these events, and how we come together and bond as one species over how precious our lives are and how important peace is. Patriots Day explores the events and the effects surrounding the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, an event that, for most of us, is still fresh in our memories; and an event that, for some people, continues to affect their lives today. Thankfully, the film handles its source material gracefully and skillfully, delivering an emotional, thrilling, and intense cinematic experience.

Patriots Day features an ensemble cast including Mark Wahlberg (a frequent collaborator with Berg), John Goodman, Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons, and Michelle Monaghan, as well as many more, lesser-known actors who play real-life characters that are just as important and affecting in their roles. Wahlberg plays Sergeant Tommy Saunders, a BPD officer who is present at the scene of the Boston Marathon bombings and one of the first responders in the incident. He, along with the other big names that he acts alongside with, does a fantastic job in the film portraying someone who is emotionally driven after the events of the bombing to hunt down the perpetrators and seek answers for the distressed public. His character (who I'm still not sure is real or fictional) carries the movie well, and he delivers a great performance. However, the people that really surprised me in the film were the smaller, less important roles that abounded throughout. While I can't say much about these roles without spoiling things, I can say this: their inclusion in the story may seem unnecessary and a means to distract from the main events, but they really do a good job of solidifying the emotional effectiveness of a lot of the film and of conveying the message that Berg is obviously trying to convey: that in times of crisis, people find bravery in small places and bond over little things, and everyone works together to seek justice and answers for wrongs that have happened. Every actor in the film, big and small, did a stellar job in conveying the real-life events of the bombings, and I applaud them.

Again, I can't say a whole lot about Patriots Day without ruining the best parts of the film, but another thing I CAN say is that it also does an amazing job of accurately portraying everything that happened in 2013 surrounding the Marathon. It does so thrillingly, providing an entertaining and nail-biting ride through the actual bombing all the way to the end of the manhunt for the Tsarnaev brothers. The long scene that portrays the bombing, for instance, effectively blends film footage with real footage back from 2013 and gives a respectful, yet also hard-to-watch, look at how awful the casualties and terror after the explosions actually were. It also gives big nods to the unsung heroes and the everyday person. It's all awesome.

In short, Patriots Day is everything I would want from a movie about the Boston Marathon bombings. It's accurate, informative, well-acted, thrilling, emotional, respectful, and overall a phenomenal film. It uses its source material to deftly craft a strong story and a powerful message about our human condition. And trust me, watching it will make you thankful for your life and your friends and your country... it's powerful. Patriots Day gets a well-earned 5 stars, and I strongly recommend to take your extra day off this weekend to go see it.