Film Review: "Patriots Day" (2016).

"The inside story of the world's greatest manhunt." This is Patriots Day. This crime drama film directed by Peter Berg, written by Berg, Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, and based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. Tragedy strikes on April 15, 2013, when two bombs explode during the Boston Marathon. In the aftermath of the attack, police Sgt. Tommy Saunders, FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers and Commissioner Ed Davis join courageous survivors, first responders and other investigators in a race against the clock to hunt down the suspects and bring them to justice.

In late March 2015, CBS Films announced that it was producing a film that would depicting the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and manhunt, and that it had purchased the rights to Sherman and Wedge's book. Daniel Espinosa was hired to direct, Matt Charman was hired to pen the script, and Casey Affleck was attached to star. Ultimately, they were Berg took over the directing duties, and writing duties with Cook, and Zetumer. By late March 2016, Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J. K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, Alex Wolff, Vincent Curatola, Melissa Benoist, Jimmy O. Yang, Rachel Brosnahan, and Lana Condor rounded out the film's cast. At the same time, principal photography commenced, and wrapped in early June. Filming took place throughout Massachusetts.

The film stars Wahlberg, Bacon, Goodman, Simmons, Monaghan, Wolff, Curatola, Benoist, Yang, Brosnahan, and Condor. It takes a strong cast that dedicate their time to provide enough humanity within character. Bacon, Goodman and Simmons are solid as the men in charge of an intense investigation and manhunt and Wahlberg is a wonder that can go from comedy to real-life drama in the blink of an eye.

The film doesn't quite explode, but there are enough flashes of brilliance here and there to know that, like its namesake, it was compromised by the incompetence of middle managers who concentrated too fiercely on the bottom line. The film is deeply entertaining, visually stunning, and emotional. Though it has its flaws, it also has moments of astonishment that show it for what it is: a technical achievement. It is a film that concludes on a sobering note about how demonstrable corporate greed can take real human lives. The film is visually spectacular, positively bludgeoning you with that emotional baseball bat. But it's the strong performances from Wahlberg, Bacon, Goodman, Simmons and co. The film manages to find the sweet spot between taking itself seriously and providing intense, engaging action. At the very least, Berg was able to craft a movie with emotional honesty that respects the lives lost that day, as well as the lasting social damage. The film is high-octane and intense, but pauses to slow down in moments of human fragility. It's a film that's well worth the watch. Perhaps, what The film does best is its ability to coherently bring across tension. Even when the dialogue is muddled by technical jargon, you still get a sense of the looming presence of danger felt by the characters.

Simon says Patriots Day receives:

Also, see my review for Deepwater Horizon.