The 2016 film Patriots Day is a docudrama based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt for the perpetrators. Its narrative is primarily adapted from the non-fiction book Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy, written by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge.
The film factually chronicles the terrorist attack that occurred on April 15, 2013, when two pressure cooker bombs were detonated near the marathon's finish line. It depicts the immediate aftermath and the intensive, four-day investigation led by the FBI and various local law enforcement agencies. Key events detailed include the identification of the suspects, the Tsarnaev brothers, from surveillance footage, their murder of an MIT police officer, a carjacking, the violent shootout in Watertown, and the final city-wide lockdown that culminated in the capture of the surviving bomber.
As an interpretation of these events, the film focuses on the procedural aspects of the investigation and the coordinated response among first responders, law enforcement officials, and government agencies. While some characters, like Mark Wahlberg's Sergeant Tommy Saunders, are composite figures representing multiple real-life individuals, the plot adheres closely to the established timeline of the actual events. The film serves as a cinematic tribute to the victims, the survivors, and the collective resilience of the Boston community.
