Review of Patriots Day (2016) by Stevesandberg — 26 Dec 2016
Saw it at the Loews Boston Common multiplex, which is probably about a leisurely 15-minute walk from the Marathon finish line. I'm happy to give it a 7 rating as a skillful, albeit conventional big-budget tribute to the heroism of the city.
(Everybody loves self-compliments, after all.) In my opinion it really could have worked much more compellingly if the composite character had been dialed back. One quality of a good semi-documentary is to subordinate the actors to the story.
THE LONGEST DAY did that, as did THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS, to name two that immediately come to mind. No one individual dominates those narratives. In them, only God sees everything, and is everywhere. It was counterproductive for Wahlberg's character to be omnipresent; that initial creative decision unintentionally evoked a tone of Hollywood artificiality which was the last thing the movie needed.
Certainly not a fatal flaw, but a recurring annoyance.
This review of Patriots Day (2016) was written by Stevesandberg on 26 Dec 2016.
Patriots Day has generally received positive reviews.
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