Filmology Rating: 3.5 out of 4

 

The Granite Mountain Hotshots became one of the most elite forest firefighting teams in the country. While most people run from danger, the brave Hotshots ran towards it. These 20 men were entrusted with watching over the lives, homes and everything people hold dear. Throughout the years of workout with one another, fight mother nature at her fiercest, and save each other’s asses, they forged a unique brotherhood till the very end. Based off a true story, this film has been dedicated to the brave men who lost their lives in the fateful fire in Yarnell, Ariz. and their families.

I have always been a sucker for real life acts of bravery and the movies that capture the intense heroism involved. They have always affected me in a way that no other film does so this was a film that I was not going to miss. Only the Brave truly captures the heart and soul of The Granite Mountain Hotshots and their true acts of bravery. My heart reaches out to all the friends and families that have been affected by that fateful fire that claimed the lives of these heroes.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy and Oblivion starring Tom Cruise), Only the Brave has an A-list team backing this film; big names such as Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, Miles Teller, Taylor Kitsch, Jennifer Connelly, and more. Each one of them did an incredible job from start to finish as they really nailed what it was to be a hero to a community as well as a man struggling to put out the fires in his own life. Miles Teller has been one of my favorite actors since I saw him in what should have been an Oscar nominated performance in Whiplash. Since then he has given us a few duds, a few good performances, and one massive shit show (Fantastic 4), but this puts him back on track. A truly moving and heartbreaking performance was given that really had me deeply moved towards the end.

Jeff Bridges is…. well… Jeff Bridges. He gives a terrific performance being the same type of guy that he normally is and I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Josh Brolin as well gives a good performance as well but I feel like it could have been great. At times there were moments for true bursts of emotion and yet his character refrains and bottles it in. I would have liked to see a little bit more from his character to really drive the drama home and to truly connect to the audience, to grab their heartstrings and not let go.

As much as this is a film about fighting physical fires, it was also about fighting metaphorical ones as well. Even the men who are heroes within the workforce still struggle with maintaining the fires raging on within their personal lives and within their souls. Only the Brave does an excellent job of the letting the audiences know that it is ok to not have your shit figured out. Its ok to not have the answers and to be scared sometimes but it is how you deal with these fires that truly matter. This is an equally uplifting, challenging, and motivating film at the same time and one that will really resonate with the audience.

Only the Brave takes its time with building its characters, building the tension, and slowly lets the spark turn into a flame for the finale. At over 2 hrs. it can feel a little long towards the end but when that spark turned flame ignites, it turned into a raging fire and an edge of your seat finale. If you were unaware that this is based off of a true story, the ending will really hit home and if you were aware that these events really happened, the ending isn’t any easier. This is truly one of the most heartbreaking endings I have seen all year and there wasn’t a dry eye in the theater; I know this because my fiancé and I were the only two in the theater and we both in tears.

Rating: See It 

-Nick