Patriot's Day

Posted 1/30/17

PATRIOT’S DAY * * * * (Emotional & exciting look at Boston Marathon Bombing) We were both a little apprehensive about reliving that terrible event in our recent history. By the time …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Patriot's Day

Posted

PATRIOT’S DAY
* * * *
(Emotional & exciting look at Boston Marathon Bombing)

We were both a little apprehensive about reliving that terrible event in our recent history.
By the time “Patriot’s Day” ended on a powerful and uplifting note, we were glad we saw it.
The two and a quarter hour movie begins on the evening of April 14, 2013, as we are introduced to a number of characters whose lives will change forever the following day.
Mark Wahlberg, an actor with deep ties to Boston, plays Boston police sgt. Tommy Saunders, a fictional characters who represents Boston’s finest.
The other actors play the key participants in the tragic event, from Governor to FBI Director to the Watertown cop, to victims, and to the Tsarnaev brothers.
Actual and recreated footage is smoothly weaved together under the tight direction of Peter Berg.
The story is told head on, beginning with the Marathon start in Hopkinton, followed by the explosions near the finish line and the chaos and heroism that followed.
Politics play a big part as the local police often clash with the FBI over jurisdiction.
We get to see the elaborate details of the investigation as the FBI quickly sets up a command center and begins the difficult job of identifying the bombers.
The tracking down of the brothers takes place in the command center, with its sophisticated electronic equipment, and then on the streets of Boston and Watertown as the actual chace takes place.
We didn’t know much about the exciting pursuit, and aren’t sure if all of the action actually happened as Berg shows it, but it is very realistic and exciting.
You learn little details, like the gathering of witnesses’ cell phones to help find the bombers.
One scene of a Boston cop standing over the body of a dead child will bring tears to your eyes.
In general, Berg stays away from manipulative emotional scenes, giving you many details as they happened or were perceived to have happened, throwing in a small bit of humor along the way to break the tension.
And who could forget that day at Fenway when David Ortiz made his famous remarks and the term Boston Strong was to become a classic.
Stick around for the post script and see many of the actual political leaders, first responders and victims.
We are usually the last ones in the theatre, learning a bit about the making of the movie by watching the credits to the very end.
This time we noticed the Dialogue Coach-Wendy Overly- a fine actor and director in Rhode Island, who also served as Dialogue Coach for Manchester by the Sea.
“Patriot’s Day” is rated R for a number of disturbing scenes of the bombing and aftermath, and the excessive profanity, which can be understood under the pressure of the events.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here