Review 405: Patriots Day

Patriots Day is a emotionally draining, intense, disturbing and at times exciting crime drama and a worthy tribute to all of those who died in the bombings of the 2013 Boston Marathon.

Based on the book Boston Strong by Casey Sherman and David Wedge, On April 15, 2013 brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev detonate two bombs during the Boston Marathon killing three people and injuring several hundred others, 16 of whom lost limbs as well as cause widespread panic.

The plot is a harrowing, expertly told, emotionally draining but at the same time inspiring portrait of
Much like he did in Lone Survivor, director Peter Berg pulls no punches in showing the horror and the trauma that these people went through during that bombing and seeks to honour the victims of the incident. Because he and his cast and crew treat the subject matter with sensitivity he makes the emotional impact all the more powerful.

The Tsarnev brothers bombed the Marethon is because they're loonies. What they did was very much an attack on the Boston peoples freedom.

Peter Berg's direction is taut and suspenseful, unflinchingly depicting the horror of the bombings but also finding small moments to let the glimmer of hope that came from all these people coming and rallying together to support each other as well as capture the culprits shine though.
The cinematography is fantastic and captures the intense, disturbing atmosphere the film is supposed to have. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is  the action scenes are brutal and properly capture what it's like to be in an actual gunfight. The production design is superb, the costumes are terrific, the make up is rich and beautifully detailed.

Mark Wahlberg leads the cast in a role he's more than accustomed to playing in the role of Police Officer Tommy Saunders

John Goodman

Kevin Bacon

Michelle Monaghan

J. K. Simmons

Melissa Benoist delivers a brilliantly enigmatic performance as Katherine Russell, the wife of Tamerlan Tsarnaev. You're never quite sure if she's lying or not. How much she knew about her husband's illegal activities is never made clear.

Rachel Brosnahan also delivers a heartbreaking performance as Jessica Kensky a woman who lost both of her legs in the bombings. She's is very much a casualty of an attack but two raving lunatics.