The film "Patriots Day" is largely factually accurate in its depiction of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt. The central quality of being accurate (adjective) applies most strongly to the film's adherence to the established public timeline, the procedural details of the investigation, and the portrayal of specific real-world figures like FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers and Police Commissioner Ed Davis. The production was based on extensive research, including the book "Boston Strong" and interviews with individuals directly involved, grounding the narrative in documented events.
The film's accuracy is most evident in its meticulous recreation of key sequences, such as the initial analysis of surveillance footage, the carjacking of Dun Meng, the violent Watertown shootout, and the final capture of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Director Peter Berg integrated a significant amount of actual news and security camera footage, blending it with dramatized scenes to enhance authenticity. The primary and most significant deviation from fact is the protagonist, Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg). This character is not a real person but a composite figure, an amalgamation of several Boston police officers whose individual actions and experiences were combined into a single narrative through-line for the audience.
Ultimately, the film prioritizes procedural and temporal accuracy while employing conventional narrative devices, like the composite character, to make a complex, multi-agency event comprehensible and emotionally resonant for viewers. While specific conversations are dramatized and the central character is a construct, the film is considered a faithful and respectful dramatization of the historical events. It is accurate in its depiction of the overarching sequence of events and in capturing the spirit of the city's response, even if it is not a pure documentary.
