Year: 2017
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Josh Brolin, Jennifer Connolly, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, Taylor Kitsch, and Andie MacDowell
Tagline: It's not what stands in front of you; it's who stands beside you
Synopsis: The story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots based out of Prescott, Arizona.
Tagline: It's not what stands in front of you; it's who stands beside you
Synopsis: The story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots based out of Prescott, Arizona.
Review
Only the Brave tells the story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, one of a number of hotshot crews to fight the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona in 2013. I remember hearing about the story at the time. It made national headlines. In case you don't remember the story and don't want the film to be spoiled, I'll say no more until the spoiler section. But I knew the story before going into the film.
With all the disasters and tragedies the nation and the world have seen lately -- including devastating wildfires in California -- this is a timely film. It's about ordinary men doing extraordinary things as they risk their lives for the sake of others. These firefighters are heroes. But they're also real and flawed. Only the Brave admirably pays tribute to their humanity and their heroism.
The story centers on Eric Marsh, the supervisor of the hotshots crew (played by Josh Brolin), and Brendan "Donut" McDonough, a rookie (played by Miles Teller). We get to know both men, see some of their personal lives, and watch how firefighting affects them. And we come to care about both men. We get to know some of the other members of the 20-man crew as well and watch them bond and come together. Jennifer Connolly plays Eric's long-suffering wife, Amanda. I don't know of any other actress who can portray raw emotion as capably as she does.
It could be said that fire is a character as well in the film. It's hard to say how much was real and how much was CGI, but the visuals in Only the Brave are top notch. The film gives the viewer a sense of what wildfires can do, how unpredictable they can be, and how beautiful and terrifying they are. That's as close to a wildfire as I ever hope to be and I truly stand in awe at those who run toward them rather than away.
The film is rated PG-13. There is language throughout, including two uses of the F-word (all or partial). There is also some crass language and drug references.
Only the Brave is a compelling story and a well-made movie. As one of the reviews I read put it, it's a movie that sticks with you after the credits roll. And it will leave you with a greater appreciation for the sacrifices firefighters make in the service of others.
*** Spoiler Section ***
For much of the movie, I wondered how exactly it would end, or rather, how it would all wrap up. With a true story like that, it can be a fine line between fitting tribute and sloppy sentimentality. Only the Brave remains a fitting tribute to the very end as our focus shifts to Brendan and Amanda and how they struggle and eventually cope with the pain and grief.
The pictures at the end also bring it home that these were real mean with lives and families that they didn't get to return home to.
With all the disasters and tragedies the nation and the world have seen lately -- including devastating wildfires in California -- this is a timely film. It's about ordinary men doing extraordinary things as they risk their lives for the sake of others. These firefighters are heroes. But they're also real and flawed. Only the Brave admirably pays tribute to their humanity and their heroism.
The story centers on Eric Marsh, the supervisor of the hotshots crew (played by Josh Brolin), and Brendan "Donut" McDonough, a rookie (played by Miles Teller). We get to know both men, see some of their personal lives, and watch how firefighting affects them. And we come to care about both men. We get to know some of the other members of the 20-man crew as well and watch them bond and come together. Jennifer Connolly plays Eric's long-suffering wife, Amanda. I don't know of any other actress who can portray raw emotion as capably as she does.
It could be said that fire is a character as well in the film. It's hard to say how much was real and how much was CGI, but the visuals in Only the Brave are top notch. The film gives the viewer a sense of what wildfires can do, how unpredictable they can be, and how beautiful and terrifying they are. That's as close to a wildfire as I ever hope to be and I truly stand in awe at those who run toward them rather than away.
The film is rated PG-13. There is language throughout, including two uses of the F-word (all or partial). There is also some crass language and drug references.
Only the Brave is a compelling story and a well-made movie. As one of the reviews I read put it, it's a movie that sticks with you after the credits roll. And it will leave you with a greater appreciation for the sacrifices firefighters make in the service of others.
*** Spoiler Section ***
For much of the movie, I wondered how exactly it would end, or rather, how it would all wrap up. With a true story like that, it can be a fine line between fitting tribute and sloppy sentimentality. Only the Brave remains a fitting tribute to the very end as our focus shifts to Brendan and Amanda and how they struggle and eventually cope with the pain and grief.
The pictures at the end also bring it home that these were real mean with lives and families that they didn't get to return home to.
Quotable Quotes
- "If this isn't the greatest job in the world, I don't know what is." -- Eric Marsh
- "That was six years ago! I've changed. This relationship has changed me." -- Amanda Marsh to Eric Marsh
- "You wanna talk about it? Or are you going to do your John Wayne thing." -- Amanda Marsh to Eric Marsh
- "If you give me a chance, I won't let you down." -- Brendan "Donut" McDonough
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