Most people from Boston are all too familiar with the events of April 15th, 2013 and are not entertained by Patriots Day portraying these horrific events. Imagine being there when the two pressure cooker bombs went off and later watching a dramatized version of that in a movie. The Boston Marathon bombings hit hard for every American, but more severely for Bostonians.
The bombs were hidden in backpacks and at 2:49pm they killed 3 spectators; two women in their 20s and an 8 year old boy. They also wounded 260, 16 of which lost legs. On April 19th there was a man hunt for the suspects putting the Boston area on lockdown. People were advised to stay in their homes and schools and transportation services were closed. Not surprisingly, many local news outlets didn’t have great things to say about Patriots Day.
The movie was a testament to Boston, to honor the bravery and recognize Boston’s unity. It is told from the perspective of Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (played by Mark Wahlberg) and he, along with first responders, investigators and survivors, race the clock to bring the suspects to justice. While many reviewers outside of Boston gave the film great compliments, those in Boston like The Boston Globe, North Shore Movies and The Patriot Ledger were much more critical. The Patriot Ledger even called it “a cold, calculated re-enactment bordering on exploitation.” The movie got much criticism for the focus on Saunders because he was both everywhere at once, and fictional. He’s made the hero of the story instead of recognizing that it was the team togetherness that day that should be highlighted. Saunders’ job was supposed to be representing all of law enforcement and their heroic deeds. Another complaint is the inauthentic accents. Even from Wahlberg from Dorchester didn’t get it right. John Goodman, James Colby, and Vincent Curatola were also real disappointments in this way. Another set back in the eyes of the locals is that it mainly portrays the events that were broadcasted on the news. During the times that it showed things not shown in the news (for example, the interrogation of Katherine Russell by Khandi Alexander’s counterterrorism agent) it was enticing and offered the substance that the people from Boston needed. To see again factual occurrences dramatized to other’s satisfaction is not as noteworthy as offering substantial new pieces to the story.
Other noteworthy things about the film:
The film was named after the holiday celebrated in Massachusetts which marks the start of the Revolutionary War. There’s also a Red Socks game at Fenway Park on this day and this fact was included in the film.
Accurately shown in the movie, the marathon began with a moment of silence for those who died in the school shooting in Newtown, CT December 2012. There was also worry of a third bomb a few miles away but it turned out that it was “just” a fire in John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Correctly presented in the movie, the suspect is found shown in Whole Foods deciding between types of milk to buy a mere 20 minutes after the first bombs went off.
Missed entirely from the movie was Boston Police Officer Dennis “DJ” Simmonds who suffered from a head injury caused by the blast of the bomb that would cause his death a year later.
Lastly, the film includes a part where the bomber texts his friend from MIT and gets this response, “Better not text me my friend.” “Lol.”
A few notable places of filming : Teele Square where M.I.T police officer lived, the warehouse formerly U.S Foods headquarters, Lasell College, South Weymouth Naval Air Station, M.I.T, a bar named Hugh O’Neill’s, Harrison Street during the shootout scene and of course the finish line of the marathon.
Virtual Boston 
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