The 2016 film Patriots Day is widely regarded as being highly accurate in its depiction of the timeline and procedural elements of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent four-day manhunt. Director Peter Berg utilized a docudrama style, incorporating actual news footage and closely following the established public record of events. The film's primary deviation from fact lies in its use of composite characters to streamline the narrative, most notably the central protagonist.
The most significant creative liberty taken is the character of Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders, played by Mark Wahlberg. Saunders is not a real person but an amalgam of several different Boston police officers who were involved at various stages of the crisis, from the finish line to the final standoff. This composite was created to provide the audience with a consistent narrative viewpoint. In contrast, the portrayals of many other key figures are based directly on their real-life counterparts and their documented actions, including FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers, Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Watertown Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, and carjacking victim Dun Meng. The re-creation of specific events, such as the shootout in Watertown, has been praised for its meticulous and faithful reconstruction based on official reports and eyewitness accounts.
Ultimately, the film prioritizes emotional and procedural authenticity over strict biographical accuracy for every character. By creating a composite protagonist, the filmmakers could condense a complex investigation involving thousands of individuals into a comprehensible cinematic story. Therefore, while the central hero's journey is a fictionalized construct, the critical events, investigative steps, and the roles of many specific historical figures are presented with a high degree of fidelity to the actual occurrences.
