WhenPeter BergandMark Wahlbergdecided to make a movie about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, many wondered if it was too soon, or even if it was a story that needed to be told. As someone that grew up near Boston and thought they knew what happened, I can tell you I’m glad they madePatriots Day. Not only is the film extremely respectful to the real life heroes and victims, the movie shows what really happened behind the scenes and highlights the importance of community and heroism. In addition, I had no idea what really transpired on the streets of Watertown between the police and theTsarnaevbrothers, and the film puts you front and center in the middle of the battle which turned into a war zone. Just so you know, typically when police engage someone the ensuing encounter lasts 10 to 15 seconds. The battle between the police and the brothers lasted almost eight minutes and involved semi-automatic weapons and bombs.
For those not familiar with the movie,Patriots Dayis based on the account of Boston Police commissionerEd Davis. Mark Wahlberg stars as Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders who joins survivors, first responders, and investigators in the hunt for the terrorists responsible for the act before they strike again.Patriots Dayis a collaboration between CBS Films and60 Minutes, with senior producerMichael Radutzkyserving as a producer on the pic. The movie is not only based on the life rights of Davis, but also utilizes other details surrounding the event based on the60 Minutesstory in which Davis appeared. Scripted by Berg,Matt Cook, andJoshua Zetumer, the film also starsKevin Bacon,J.K. Simmons,John Goodman,Michael Beach,Jimmy O. Yang,Themo MelikidzeandMichelle Monaghan. You canread Perri’s review here.
At the Los Angeles press day, I sat down with former Police Commissioner Ed Davis and Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese for a video interview. They talked about the responsibility of telling this story, the incredible battle that happened on the streets of Watertown, how most police gun fights are 10-15 seconds while the battle in Watertown was 8 minutes and involved hundreds of rounds of ammunition and bombs, what it was like working with Peter Berg, and a lot more. Watch what they had to say in the video above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by some images from the film.
Ed Davis and Jeffrey Pugliese:
