If his recent films are any indication, there's a battle raging within Peter Berg's soul. Ambling up one hill on this metaphoric battlefield is an army of beer-guzzling, macho jagoffs whose greatest weapon is turning off their brains at will; charging them is a battalion of skilled and equally dangerous craftspeople who see movies as a vehicle for both entertainment and awakening. The clash is bloody and ongoing, and explains Patriots Day, a reverent, methodical recreation of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing that is only occasionally undermined by Mark Wahlberg's blue-collar Beantown buffoonery. If Berg can (or even wants to) shake the last vestiges of Michael Bay-style popcorn cuteness, he'll establish himself as a filmmaker to be respected for more than just his ability to draw a crowd. Patriots Day is both thrilling and tasteful, thought-provoking and dramatically satisfying. Sure, it may be unnecessary, but it demands to be seen.
For more thoughts on Patriots Day, check out Ian's chat with Keeping it Reel's David Fowlie on Kicking the Seat Podcast #186!