Stronger Review (2017)

Stronger

  *Deep breath* I'm not crying... You're crying...
  Stronger is the story of Jeff Bauman, a victim of the Boston Marathon bombing who gets his legs blown off, and BOY does it pack a punch. Staring my favorite actor, Jake Gyllenhaal, and the uber-talented Tatiana Maslany, we are thrown into a survival story that really resonates on profound levels.
  Before I get into the story aspects of the film, I have to comment on Gyllenhaal's performance. He's had a LOT of great performances over the past few years, but this one definitely stands out among the top. The way he conveys the stages of grief and PTSD after the incident is so organic and understated that you can't help but feel the full emotional blow of his trauma in the third act of the film.
  There is a transcendence of genre in Stronger that is really worth noting because it could have very easily been a play-by-the-numbers type of film. What really gives it an edge over other films in this genre is how personal it is. It is so raw and unapologetic in the way it showcases the flaws of its characters, even at the risk of losing our sympathy at times.
  Stronger is a genuine film bursting with hope and patriotism in the wake of one of America's darkest tragedies, that pulls at our heartstrings without ever feeling contrived. 10 out of 10 stars (A Must See)