Stronger better earn Jake Gyllenhaal an Oscar nomination

RELEASED on DVD on December 19th.

Movie Title:   Stronger (2017)

Grade: A-

Rating: R, 119 minutes

In a Nutshell:   Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance is outstanding, as always.  He’s truly fantastic in everything he does.  I'm such a fan. I'd love to see him get an Oscar nomination for this role.  He deserves it.  He really makes you feel.

This dramatic, true story spotlights emotional honesty as one of the many heroes from the Boston Marathon bombing in 2013 attempts to regain his life.  The fantastic Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, whose

If you like this kind of #BostonStrong movie, there is another one very similar called Patriot's Day.  In fact, both movies were filmed at the same time.

#BostonStrong !!

 

Uplifting theme: 

• Tenacity, perseverance
• Strength of every kind
• family, loyalty
• "You helped me as much as I helped you." - Carlos (Carlos Sanz)   I was super impressed with Carlos' humble spirit.
• "I just want to see the world from higher up." - Jeff (Jake Gyllenhaal)  I'm interpreting that line in a couple of different ways.  He says it when he realizes he wants to be a better man, as well as get out of his wheelchair and walk.
• Hope

Things I liked:

• Fantastic camera angle in the scene where they take off Jeff’s bandages.
• It doesn’t feel like an acted movie, but more of a realistic documentary.
• I’ve been to Boston twice and absolutely love it there.  It just broke my heart to see the iconic city in so much pain.  I will never understand evil people who hurt others.
• It's not just about a man's rehabilitation from a terrible injury, but also the transition from being a regular guy to a national hero.
• Director David Gordon Green hired real medical personnel to act in certain scenes, which is pretty cool.  My twin sister is a nurse.
• There is an incredibly touching, powerful scene towards the end of the movie that will make you weep or even sob.
• Miranda Richardson was really great.
• Tatiana Maslany also did a fantastic job.  The relationship between Jeff and Erin was really interesting and showed the ups and downs of a relationship under stress and extremely unusual circumstances.
• Both Jeff Bauman and Jake Gyllenhaal got to throw the first pitch at Boston's Fenway Park in 2016.  Cool.
• Blue collar grit.
• I love it when they show pictures of the real people the movie is about at the end of the film.

Things I didn’t like:

• I felt so bad for the Costco manager who was simply trying to help and Jeff’s family jumped all over him.  I understand that they were grieving and in shock, but still…a little kindness goes a long way.  The family is extremely dysfunctional and not pleasant to spend time with, but their fierce love and loyalty are inspiring.  By the way, the real Costco supervisor is an Extra in several scenes in the movie.
• So much profanity.  Seriously, can't anyone speak a single sentence without using vulgar language? 

Tips for parents: 

• A LOT of profanity and crude language, including F-bombs.
• Some nudity during a pre-marital sex scene, mostly a women’s chest.
• Some bloody, gory images of Jeff’s legs.
• Lots of people smoking and drinking.

@trinaboice 

Patriot's Day honors Boston's courage and compassion

Movie Title:   Patriot's Day

Grade:  B+

Rating:  R, 130 minutes

In a Nutshell: I love Boston.  I've been there several times and would eagerly go there again tomorrow.  It’s a modern city dripping in history. 

This powerful film offers a respectful look at Boston’s finest who responded to terrorism at the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings.   

“Two people took several days and weeks to plan out hate, but love responded in an instant.” – Interview with Patrick Downes

Uplifting theme: 

• Dedicated to all those who showed courage, compassion, and dedication during this terrible period in Boston’s history.
• Civic pride, teamwork, community
• Love vs. hate
• Good vs. evil
• Boston strong!
• “Always have hope.  Be confident that good always defeats bad.” – Dun Meng

Things I liked:

• The entire cast does a great job providing Boston accents and tributes to people we enjoy getting to know.
• Mark Wahlberg gives a dynamic performance as Sgt. Tommy Saunders.
• It’s always a pleasure to see J.K. Simmons, John Goodman, and Kevin Bacon.  I adore them all.
• You get to see real footage of the aftermath.
• Great aerial shots of Boston.
• Fans of Supergirl: Season 1 [Blu-ray], Melissa Benoist, will be happy to see her, although not happy to see her play the wife of a deluded terrorist.
• I loved the real photos and information at the end. The video footage of Patrick Downes running the race after his surgery really touched me.

Things I didn’t like:

•  Does anyone in Boston know how to speak a single sentence without using the F-bomb? 

Interesting lines:

• “Do not Mirandize.”   -  It's interesting and frightening that a decision could be made to deny an American citizen of his individual liberties.
• “Not what you were expecting, huh Comish? – lady cop

“It never is.” – Commisioner Ed Davis (John Goodman)

• “For a Muslim woman, marriage is a lilting dance of duality: strength and submission, beautiful, selfless, rapturous love of two masters, the carnal and the divine.” – Katherine Russell

Funny lines:

• “Give ‘em hell, brother!” – a guy who throw a sledge hammer out his front door to help the cops.
• ‘I gotta F***n quit smoking.” – Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons)
• “I’ll tell ya that boat ain’t gonna float.” – cop after a bunch of other cops shot a ton of bullet holes in it. 

Tips for parents: 

• There is a lot of blood, gore, and violence.
• You see several people do drugs.
• A gazillion F-bombs and other profanity.
• It's important to point out to your kids that Dzhokhar's friends were arrested for seeing evidence, but not turning it over to the police and obstructing the bombing investigation.

UPDATE as of 2/1/2017
A Boston Marathon bombing survivor plans to marry the fireman who rescued her, several media outlets report. “In the hospital, my mom tried to set me up with him,” Roseann Sdoiasaid. “She was like, ‘Oh, did you see that firefighter? He’s so cute.’ And I was like, ‘Mom, I just got blown up.’ ” Sdoia and her new fiancé, Mike Materia, will participate in the annual Empire State Building Marathon to help raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation. Materia comforted Sdoia on the ride to Massachusetts General Hospital in a police vehicle on the day of the bombing. “I asked him if I was going to die. And he told me that I was going to be OK, that I only had a flesh wound,” she told reporters. “He’s seen me on my worst day.” The couple had their first date in June 2013. He proposed last month.

@trinaboice