Today’s quick review: Patriots Day. On April 15, 2013, Boston police officer Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg) is working security at the finish line of the Boston Marathon when a pair of bombs go off, killing three and injuring hundreds. In the chaos that follows, Saunders and the local police work with FBI Special Agent Rick DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon) in the hunt for Tamerlan (Themo Melikidze) and Dzhokhar (Alex Wolff) Tsarnaev, the suspected bombers.
Patriots Day is a crime drama based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. The movie shows the bombing and the ensuing manhunt through the eyes of Boston residents and law enforcement officers. Mark Wahlberg ties the story together as Tommy Saunders, a fictional police officer who is witness to some of the most crucial parts of the investigation. The movie’s respectful treatment of its subject matter makes it a fine watch, but it lacks some depth.
Patriots Day has a reverential tone from start to finish. It emphasizes the resilience of the bombing victims, the diligence of the law enforcement officers conducting the investigation, and the spirit of Boston following the attack. The mechanics of the investigation are interesting, a glimpse at the many details needed to respond to a crisis. Mark Wahlberg also delivers a couple of impassioned monologues that help to give the movie its heart.
However, the movie’s reverential tone comes at the expense of some of the tension found in similar films. There is no larger conspiracy to unfold, and while there is a race against the clock, the diffuse nature of the manhunt makes it more of a waiting game. Even the personal stories of the victims are only touched on briefly. The result is a movie that does justice to its source material but does not add any extra surprises or insight.
Like other dramas based on real life, how much you get out of Patriots Day will depend on your taste in storytelling. The movie’s capable treatment of its subject matter and Mark Wahlberg’s performance make it a fine pick for anyone interested in the story it has to tell. However, its one-note tone and largely factual plot will limit its appeal to viewers who are used to more narrative-based dramas.
For a more thrilling true story about a terror investigation, check out Zero Dark Thirty. For an action thriller about the aftermath of a terror attack, check out Vantage Point.
7.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 7.0 for solid execution.