Peter Berg isn't the most subtle or nuanced director. His films tend to be rather straightforward and Patriots Day is no exception. He starts his film by showing us all the "good people" that we are going to follow through the movie. It makes sure we know how good they are cause we see them all doing wonderful human wonderfully American things. They are charming and cute and some of them are just flawed enough that we care about them. It's like he puts big stickers on their heads to show us how we are supposed to feel about them.
For example there is a cop who is doomed to die at the hands of the terrorists. The film makes sure he has the most adorable intro, he is shown to be entirely noble, the other actors cry as they describe how heroically he died, and conveniently the girl he loves happens to show up at his scene of death. Thanks Berg. I'm not sure I could have got all that if you hadn't hit me over the head with it.
This problematic approach to film making is most clearly summed up in the choice to centre the film around Mark Wahlberg's fictional character. He is set up to be the American everyman that we want to identify with. Then he manages to be everywhere he needs to be to have the story told. He takes the righteous position at all times, being a holding place for our frustrations, our fears, our passions. He is the surrogate us. So that we, as the audience, can revel in how we are the good guys. And his character just happens to be in every important spot at just the right important moment all the way along. It often feels ridiculous.
The film's climax leads to the "good vs. evil" moment which you know, early in the film, is coming. The bad guys, and they are bad guys because of what they did, but that's not enough for the film. The film has to show them being as despicable as possible at every step. In case we don't get that these bombers are the bad guys. We have to be made to hate them. Because at the end the film needs us to buy into its rousing message of good triumphing over evil. There isn't room for much else in this tale.
Berg's construction of the film is pretty good for what he is trying to do. The kidnapping of Jimmy Yang's character is one of the most exciting and tense parts of the film. Berg tells a thrilling story, even if it does end up feeling like an oversimplification of everything. Like when Yang's character is finally saved, he gets an action movie throw away line designed to have the audience cheering. "Go catch those mutherfuckers!" he yells like he's Harrison Ford screaming "Get off my plane!" It's silly and takes away from the gravitas of the story the film is telling.
Another action scene, a shootout, which is well staged, and beautifully filmed, is ruined by an extended exchange of "fuck you mother fuckers!" over and over. The writing felt juvenile. That paired with the low level of analysis going on throughout the film, give it an amateurish feel which is in contrast to how well the film is filmed and acted.
Patriots Day doesn't feel dishonest but it does feel a bit phony. I wish it had found a way to tell this story in a way that didn't feel like it was exploiting the deaths of the Americans who perished that day. I wish it had found a way to explore something more than just good vs. evil.
Patriots Day
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon, John Goodman, J.K. Simmons, Michelle Monaghan, Alex Wolff, Melissa Benoist, Jimmy O. Yang
Director: Peter Berg
Writers: Peter Berg, Matt Cook, Joshua Zeturner
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