Director David Gordon Green
Genre Biography | Drama
Cast Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, Richard Lane Jr.
Rating R
Release Date September 22nd, 2017 (Limited)
“Stronger is the inspiring real life story of Jeff Bauman, an ordinary man who captured the hearts of his city and the world to become a symbol of hope after surviving the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.”
From director David Gordon Green (Joe, Pineapple Express), Stronger is a powerful drama about the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings. Patriot's Day released in 2016 and was the first feature-film to chronicle the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings, and many felt the film was out much earlier than it should have been considering how recent the events took place. Even considering the controversy the film did pretty well, offering viewers an in-depth look at the lives of the bombers, but more importantly the fight and determination of a city that refused to be beaten down. Stronger is a much more intimate portrayal of the events, telling the story of Boston Marathon Bombing victim and survivor Jeff Bauman. The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson, and Richard Lane Jr.
Lead by a captivating performance from Jake Gyllenhaal, Stronger is a hard hitting real-life drama about strength and perseverance in the face of tragedy. Admittedly, I wasn’t all that familiar with Bauman's story prior to this film, and I was a little disappointed in myself because of that. Bauman nearly lost his life in the Boston Marathon Bombing, yet he was strong enough to allow his story to be told. Right from the start of the film I felt like I was personally impacted by what was taking place on screen. Stronger thrives in its authenticity, and a great deal of that is thanks to the performances as well as the directing. This film is very much an emotional rollercoaster giving viewers a first-hand look at Bauman's recovery and how it impacted his close relationships with family and friends. By the time the credits appeared on the screen I felt like I knew Jeff Bauman, and more importantly I had a better understanding of the life before and after of someone who experienced a very dark day and found a way to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Stronger also digs deeper into what it means for our country to bounce back from a scary and damaging terrorist attack to reinforce the fact that no matter what we stand together and refuse to be bullied. Any one of us could have just as easily found ourselves standing where Jeff Bauman was standing that morning, and that is just one of the countless reasons Stronger deserves to be seen.
The cast for Stronger is absolutely amazing, and I personally couldn’t imagine a better fit for any of the roles, especially Gyllenhaal's gut-wrenching performance as Jeff Bauman. We all know what Jake Gyllenhaal is capable of, and he has proven his worth time and time again, but somehow this feels different. Gyllenhaal becomes Bauman in such a way that you almost forget he exists outside of the story that is unfolding right before your eyes. The emotion, the pain, and the unique sense of humor is all there and accounted for. I actually read that when his family was able to finally watch the film they couldn’t believe how much he reminded them of Jeff. Gyllenhaal's performance will get plenty of attention come award season, no question about that. Relatively unknown actress Tatiana Maslany delivered a powerhouse performance as Jeff Bauman's on again off again girlfriend. Having the ability to go toe to toe with an actor as talented as Gyllenhaal is no easy task, and Maslany pulled her weight and then some. Miranda Richardson took on the pivotal role of Jeff's slightly overbearing mother, and I thought she did a fantastic job. The role that stood out to me most beyond Gyllenhaal or Maslany was the role of Bauman's uncle Bob, played by the well-known comedic actor Lenny Clarke. Clarke provides the right amount of humor amidst what was a very emotionally taxing experience. The supporting cast was fantastic all-around, and I really liked Danny McCarthy's portrayal of Bauman's boss, I felt like he added a certain level of humanity to the film.
Stronger is easily one of the most powerful and emotional films of 2017, and it would probably hold up in the top 5 in the last 2 years. On the chilly morning of April 15th, 2013, Jeff Bauman was just a regular guy trying to build a life for himself just like the rest of us, and his life changed forever on that fateful day. Bauman's story deserves to be told because not only did he struggle dramatically after the event, he was able to persevere thanks to the most powerful thing of all, which is the ability for people to come together in support of each other. Highly recommended.
