Mark Wahlberg in Patriots' Day(Boston Marathon Bombing drama)

[Lencho01]

‘Patriots Day’ Early Buzz: Peter Berg Recreates Recent History Again

 

[Loki882]

So Peter Berg apparently said to himself post-Battleship "to heck with that Michael Bay ripoff crap. Intense and gritty real-life stories, THAT'S where the real success is at."

Also this has a great cast, and Supergirl as one of the terrorist's wife? That's an, interesting choice.

 

[MadVillainy]

I always said he's a better version of Michael Bay. The ra-ra American stuff and capturing the "spirit of America" like Bay tries to? Berg does that

But really other than Battleship nothing else is Bay rip off stuff

 

[LoganGambit87]

AFI Fest: 'Patriots Day' Becomes Major Addition to the Oscar Race

Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg, who previously teamed up on 2013's 'Lone Survivor' and September's 'Deepwater Horizon,' could enjoy their warmest Academy embrace yet for this film about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, according to THR's awards columnist.
The Oscar race just got a little more crowded.

Patriots Day, a drama about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that marks the third pairing of writer/director Peter Berg and actor Mark Wahlberg (after 2013's Lone Survivor and September's Deepwater Horizon), closed the 30th AFI Fest tonight, and the audience at the TCL Chinese Theatre couldn't have responded in a bigger way. The packed house — much of which was sniffling and wiping tears throughout the screening — applauded loudly as the credits began to roll, and then got on its feet for a prolonged ovation as the lights came up to reveal Berg and Wahlberg flanking several of the real survivors of and first-responders to the terror attack.

It is, to be sure, rare that a film about a major event is turned around so soon after that event as this one was. (For point of reference, United 93 came five years after 9/11, Deepwater Horizon came six years after the oil rig of the same name exploded in the Gulf of Mexico and Sully comes seven years after "the miracle on the Hudson.") And that might invite the question: "Why is it necessary to revisit this story?" I can't speak for the filmmakers, but it seems to me that this film — which includes details not widely reported at the time — is just the kind of unifying film needed after a cutthroat election season bitterly divided America. Indeed, it offers a powerful, moving and much-needed reminder that Americans of all different stripes can and must come together when times are tough, and that when we do, we are at our best.

Wahlberg, who is as associated with Boston as anyone, does his city proud with this film, which he also produced. He plays a rough-around-the-edges Boston cop — a composite of a number of different real people — who is on the scene when the bombs explode at the marathon's finish-line, and then becomes part of the hunt for the perpetrators over the ensuing days. He does some of the best acting of his career in this film, particularly in the scene in which he first returns home and breaks down while debriefing his wife (Michelle Monaghan). It's a rare moment when the focus is solely on him, rather than a group of people (this is no vanity play), and it feels earned and impressive.

Every performer, though, pulls their weight, in parts of varying sizes, as has been the case in all of Berg's work dating back to Friday Night Lights — John Goodman as the Boston police commissioner, Kevin Bacon as the top-dog from the feds, Michael Beach as the governor of Massachusetts, Themo Melikidze and Alex Wolff as the homegrown terrorists, Jimmy O'Yang (Silicon Valley) as the Asian immigrant taken hostage by them, J.K. Simmons as a veteran Watertown cop who winds up pursuing them, Melissa Benoist as the wife of one of the terrorists, Khandi Alexander as the police interrogator who grills her — and the list goes on. This first-rate and diverse cast has to be regarded as a serious contender for a best ensemble SAG Award nom, which has marked the beginning of the road to many a best picture Oscar nomination.

Many have referred to Patriots Day as the third part of a Berg-Wahlberg trilogy. While that's statistically correct, it should be noted that this one represents a greater level of achievement than either Lone Survivor or, certainly, Deepwater Horizon. This probably is, in part, because it felt the most personal to Wahlberg, but also because it's polished in all the important places, especially its script, by Berg, Matt Cook and Joshua Zetumer (from a story by Berg, Cook, Eric Johnson and Paul Tamasy); as well as its production design (it was largely shot in Boston and captures the vibe and spirit of that unique city); and its score, by Oscar winners Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Oh — and its ending is as powerful and moving as any this year, which is saying a lot in a year that also includes La La Land and Lion, the latter of which similarly closes with incredible documentary footage that tugs at the heartstrings.

My bottom line: a wide cross-section of Academy members are likely to respond to this movie, but especially men, who represent a disproportionate percentage of the Academy (73 percent according to the organization), who love Wahlberg (every bit as much as women do) and who may be hungry this season for a movie with a strong — in this case, #BostonStrong — alpha-male protagonist (beyond those seen in Hacksaw Ridge, Hell or High Water and Sully).

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/afi-fest-patriots-day-becomes-major-addition-oscar-race-948294

 

[dude stannis]

So Peter Berg apparently said to himself post-Battleship "to heck with that Michael Bay ripoff crap. Intense and gritty real-life stories, THAT'S where the real success is at."

Not so. The closest thing that fits on his resume is Hancock, which bears no resemblence to Bay's films at all, Battleship was a mercenary job, because Universal wouldn't let him make Lone Survivor otherwise. Lucky for Berg it bombed and Lone Survivor made bank, so he was able to skip "the one for them" part and just coast on his mid budget passion projects.

 

[Lencho01]

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[Lencho01]

PATRIOT’S DAY Review: Statute Of Limitations

 

[Sawyer]

Mark Wahlberg: "Celebrities should just shut up about politics!"

*hoards every f***ing blue-collar jingoistic script that comes his way like his life depends on it*

 

[Octoberist]

Well he's the everyman, right? RIGHT? Normal guy, Mark Wahlberg....

 

[MadVillainy]

Yeah none of Wahlberg's recent films have been jingoistic. That's silly.
His recent real life dramas, if youve actually watched them, don't have a "ra ra America" aspect for them.

Deepwater Horizon actually was the opposite when it showed the greed of US companies and how it can hurt or kill people and how the justice system failed by letting all the BP people off.
Lone Survivor was like torture porn watching those guys through it.

I dont think with either film Berg was trying to give you a "Ra Ra America" feeling out of them. Especially with Deepwater Horizon.

Probably he does with Patriots Day. I haven't seen it though. But I dont see why that's a bad thing to make a movie about the Boston Marathon bombings very patriotic.

However, I dont know what the hell Wahlberg was talking about that he's a "real guy" I do get what he was trying to say about celebrity endorsement of politics, but he is clearly very delusional. But then again he's the guy who thought itd be appropriate to say that he would've stopped part of 9/11 if he was on the plane

Still really looking forward to this. I think Deepwater Horizon and especially Lone Survivor are very under appreciated

 

[Rowsdower!]

I agree, Mark. Celebrities shouldn't shoot their mouths off about politics. You know, like YOU did a few years back when you said that 9/11 never would have happened if YOU were on the f***ing plane. Idiot.

Anyway, I've really started to have an aversion to Wahlberg. I might have wanted to see Deepwater Horizon had it starred a different lead actor. But Wahlberg is just so boring to me anymore. He's just the same tough-talking smartass in everything these days. The only film I enjoyed him in recently was Mojave (which I didn't even realize he was in until I saw it).

 

[MadVillainy]

He really wasn't the same tough guy in Deepwater, lone Survivor, or The Fighter. The last time I think I liked that shtick from him was in The Other Guys but it felt like he was parodying the characters he played.

 

[Donner]

So...does this movie gloss over the fact that the police shut down the entire city and forced people out of their homes at gunpoint?

Because that's not very patriotic.

 

[Rowsdower!]

I just want to know if this movie pays tribute to the critical role the Boston Red Sox played in catching the terrorists.

 

[Slushy]

Looks good. The wife wants to go to see it opening weekend.

 

[Elayis]

Just came back from it and was very impressed. Berg's Lone Survivor really surprised me, as I wasn't much of a fan of his before that, and Deepwater Horizon was a very solid movie, one of my favorites of the year.

Now with Patriots Day, I think it's probably my favorite of his films. I didn't know much about the attacks before this, just the broad strokes, so it helped keep me in suspense when you didn't know what was going to happen to individual people. I very much appreciate how non-Hollywood these three films of Berg's have been. The action isn't glamorized, the events aren't reduced to a simple good guy/bad guy dynamic and the people involved make a lot of mistakes, both law enforcement and the terrorists. Most of the heroics in this movie come from small moments, like the police officer standing watch over a dead boy's body until the crime scene has been completely documented, or a university . The film takes the time before the attacks to personalize some of the people involved so that what happens to them means something to the viewer.

The ending does get a little schmaltzy and moralistic, but given the topic and also the immense care that was taken throughout the film to be realistic and truthful, I didn't mind it so much. This is not a Michael Bay movie.

Whatever awards may come its way, it certainly deserves them. I'll be seeing La La Land in a few days, so we'll see if that film lives up to the hype (I enjoyed Whiplash but not as much as some).

I don't like giving ratings, especially not so soon after having seen the movie, but I'd give this at least a 9 or 9.5 out of 10. Definitely one of the year's best, certainly in my top 5 so far (still quite a few I have yet to see).

 

[MurkeNyou]

Seen this earlier, liked Deepwater Horizon, thought Lone Survivor was ok except very heavy handed on the "whoo-rahh!!" stuff. Thought I was gonna like it more, but man... Berg is becoming very Michael Bay-ish Jingoistic with these films. The Interrogation scene of the guys wife and that note at the end of the film regarding her made me feel icky, made me ask as a viewer what message they are sending. I mean, it's a good entertaining film, but after hearing the Whalberg character was inserted, and a couple story depictions, it just falls short. I liked Deepwater Horizon, like Berg, but he needs to do some fun, detached full-fiction stuff to cleanse his palette.

 

[Elayis]

Seen this earlier, liked Deepwater Horizon, thought Lone Survivor was ok except very heavy handed on the "whoo-rahh!!" stuff. Thought I was gonna like it more, but man... Berg is becoming very Michael Bay-ish Jingoistic with these films. The Interrogation scene of the guys wife and that note at the end of the film regarding her made me feel icky, made me ask as a viewer what message they are sending. I mean, it's a good entertaining film, but after hearing the Whalberg character was inserted, and a couple story depictions, it just falls short. I liked Deepwater Horizon, like Berg, but he needs to do some fun, detached full-fiction stuff to cleanse his palette.

What specifically about the treatment of the wife didn't you like? Genuinely curious.

I agree that Berg shouldn't make a career of solely docudramas; he needs to change it up every now and then. But I feel like The Kingdom was much more jingoistic and simplistic than Deepwater or Patriots. There's an authenticity to these films that someone tone-deaf and flamboyant like Michael Bay could never come close to. Berg's style seems closer to Michael Mann to me. Certainly no Kenneth Lonergan, but his style is much more rooted in the real world than almost every action director working today.

 

[MadVillainy]

really didn't get the vibe of Lone Survivor being jingoistic. Actually got the compleete opposite on the whole. If Lone Survivor is considered jingoistic then I think Saving Private Ryan should too

 

[Elayis]

really didn't get the vibe of Lone Survivor being jingoistic. Actually got the compleete opposite on the whole. If Lone Survivor is considered jingoistic then I think Saving Private Ryan should too

Maybe it comes from people disliking the military’s involvement overseas? The focus is clearly solely focused on the lives of the individual soldiers and the impact the war has on them, not the government’s policies, but I can see how that particular bias could color the film’s intentions.

I know a lot of critics are dissatisfied with Berg’s lack of a larger picture when it comes to these films. With Deepwater it was the problem with big oil and climate change, with Patriots it’s the War on Terror and America’s perceived responsibility for precipitating further terrorist attacks.

It’s also certainly in vogue among a certain crowd to rail against anything involving the military, good or bad. Or it could be something else, just spitballing here.

 

[MadVillainy]

I know why some people say it. I'm just pointing out that it's stupid. I'm not the biggest fan to say the least of America's involvement overseas, but I still know it's stupid to call Lone Survivor jingoistic

 

[Elayis]

I’m right there with you, I’m not fond of America’s reasoning and implementation of many of these overseas engagements, but it should be readily apparent that the movie isn’t just a piece of propaganda. Emotion seems to play too much of a part in how people view the film.

 

[Greens]

I saw this and it's really good. When it started I wasn't really feeling it, but from the moment the bombs hit it's really good.

Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon and Patriots Day make for a cool WahlBerg (see what I did there?) trilogy.

 

[terry78]

I'm going to steal that.