Stronger

Oscar bait. The films that are made to win awards. The prestige pictures that people flock to see because they know they'll see great acting and an inspiring story. The films people watch so they'll be able to talk about them during the awards season.

Stronger fits into the Oscar bait category perfectly. But that doesn't mean it's a bad thing.

On the 15th of April 2013, two men set off two bombs at the finishing line of the Boston City Marathon. 3 people were killed and hundreds of others were injuring, some very gravely. Stronger is the story of one of them. A man called Jeff Bauman. Jeff was there trying to win back his ex girlfriend and lost both of his legs above the knee. But (Cheesy line alert) no bomb is stronger than the strength of human will. 

I liked this. It's not without it's weaknesses but it's a fine example of inspirational storytelling. The kind of film you might be cynical about watching and then end up being surprised at when you find yourself with a lump in your throat. The film is led by a superb performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. His Jeff is a chap you'll know instantly. Annoyingly flawed but still lovable. The friendly chap who's a regular in your local. The fella you always see tearing around the place because he's always late. The person you want to see do OK for themselves. And a person you'll suffer along with. A simple scene of bandage changing will lay you out. Not because it's gory but because you'll be looking at his face the whole time. It's a film about a relatable struggle too. OK, losing your legs isn't exactly relatable but we all know people who struggle with a disability or an illness and this goes into the minutiae of those struggles. The hardship placed on the shoulders of victims and their families. Tension erupting into rows over the smallest of things. Simple stuff like getting dressed or going for a wee are shown as pure misery. The consequences of terrorism that we never hear about.

Earlier in the year we had Patriot's Day. Another take on the Boston bombing but that was from a law enforcement & terrorist point of view. It was a fine film too but I liked this more because it was about the people effected. It's about the healing after an event and not the solving of it. It engages your emotions more than watching a police operation ever could. It also delves in the American thing of making heroes out of victims, whether they like it or not. That need in the collective psyche to have someone to look up to. One moment of Jeff being wheeled in front of a crowd will have your heart beating out of your chest in sympathy with him. It's a stressful watch made worse by characters doing annoying but completely human things. Drinking too much. Not listening. Not seeing what's right in front of them. Making decisions for others. Thing's we've all done. Relatable things.

As mentioned earlier JG is fantastic in the main role but Tatiana Maslany and Miranda Richardson offer strong support as the women in his life, his on/off girlfriend Erin and his Mam Patty. Richardson is fine as a woman struggling with pain by turning to drink. Maslany's Erin is a heartbreaker of a part though. A woman who knows the man she loves is wrong for her but who keeps being sucked back in. Not by him but by her need to look after him. She's too caring for her own good. Maslany plays the part with pain written across her face, even when she's smiling. She'll win big from this film and although she's well known from Orphan Black I foresee a solid film career starting from here.

The downsides. It gets quite repetitive in places as various characters act out in frustration and grief. It lays on it's love of Boston and Boston attitudes very heavily too. Some of the more sentimental moments created by this threaten to turn the film into a Hallmark movie of the week but thankfully they are few and diluted by the sheer quality of acting on display.

Complaints aside it's a film that's well worth a watch. Watching a real life struggle being recounted will upset you but you'll be inspired too seeing the strength people have. It's a story that will put any petty problems we have in perspective. It mightn't be ideal for the cynics out there but if you want a good value 2 hours in the cinema you can't go wrong with this.