Rating: 8.5/10
Genre: Drama/Biography
Related films: Patriots Day, The Zookeeper’s Wife, Hacksaw Ridge
By Leanne Harragan
With the goal of protecting families and communities, the Granite Mountain Hotshots work and work to become one of the best in the country. Normally people flee from danger but this team run to it; saving lives and homes. Watch as deep friendships form, which are tested with one fire in Yarnell, Arizona.
I went into to film knowing that it was based on a true story and therefore knowing that I should be prepared to be hit hard. Despite knowing this, I wasn’t prepared for the emotion that overwhelmed in the final closing scenes of the film.
The film follows the Granite Mountain Hotshots a team of fire-fighters that travel around the states fighting big forest fires and doing there best to prevent as much damage as possible. The team is made up of different types of guys, some young, some older, some with kids and some without. Our main (ish) man is Brendan McDonough (Miles Teller) who is quickly introduced as a young guy with very little guidance in his life who is heading down a bad path in life when an opportunity with the Hotshots changes his chances. Led by Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin) the team look up to their supervisor and affectionately call him soup even when he is whooping them into shape.
The relationships that are built between the boys in the team, husbands and wives and even the newly formed ones felt so real. It was hard not to become invested in this film. I was really moved by the bonds that were formed between the guys in the team and the relationship between Eric Marsh and his wife, despite its bumps always found the solution.
I read somewhere that this film is ‘a slow burn’ (excuse the pun) and I agree, it’s not the most exciting of films and is definitely more about honouring the men from the team. The incredible acting throughout more than makes up for the build up of this film but if you want an exciting action film then this isn’t the one for you, but if you want a real, moving tribute to some real life heroes then this is a must see.
Rating : 9/10
By Rebecca Mannick
Only the Brave, is based on a true story, where you follow the journey of a team of elite fire fighters trained to deal with wildfires. It particularly focuses on the supervisor veteran Eric Marsh, and waster rookie Brendan McDonough. As the story pans out you find out that the two have more in common then first meets the eye.
Knowing that this movie is a true story automatically makes the whole experience more emotional for me. When trying to connect to the characters, its so easy for me to sympathise and empathise with their situations and feelings. It was so easy for me to connect with Brendan (Miles Teller - whose performance needs a special mention) who was down on luck, wasted his time with the wrong people and wrong substances. He is quick to turn his life around when a ‘one night stand’ gives birth to his baby daughter. From having no one and nothing, in a space of a year he has a family and a community in the Granite Mountain hotshots.
The friendship and bonds created are second to none, and its highlighted when the crew hit the town (all wearing plaid in different colours and strip patterns - I was truly impress and put to shame). These men were respected by the whole community - putting their lives on the line to protect their town.
I throughly enjoyed this film, and was left utterly emotional. I give it such a high rating because it does sit above the rest of all the trash films I’ve seen. Only the Brave is such a fitting way to respect these men and I encourage anyone who’s interested to go and see it.
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