The film Patriots Day is a docudrama based on the true story of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt. It accurately portrays the timeline of events and depicts many real individuals involved. However, the film's central protagonist is a fictional composite character created for narrative purposes.
The film's factual foundation is built upon the book Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy and extensive research into the real events. Key moments, such as the bombing itself, the FBI-led investigation, the murder of MIT Officer Sean Collier, the carjacking of Dun Meng, the shootout in Watertown, and the final capture of the perpetrator, are all depicted with a high degree of fidelity to the actual historical record. Many of the supporting characters, including Police Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman), FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon), and Watertown Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese (J.K. Simmons), are based on real people. The primary element of dramatic license is the main character, Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg), who is not a real person but an amalgamation of the experiences of multiple Boston police officers who were on duty during the crisis.
By utilizing a composite lead character, the filmmakers were able to streamline a complex, multi-agency investigation into a cohesive narrative for the audience. This approach allows the film to maintain a strong commitment to the factual depiction of the overall event and its impact on the community while employing a standard cinematic technique to guide the story. The film's use of actual news and surveillance footage further grounds it in reality, positioning it as a dramatized retelling rather than a pure work of fiction.
