Yes, the film Patriots Day is based on the true story of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent city-wide manhunt for the perpetrators. The movie is a dramatization of these real-world events, drawing source material from the non-fiction book Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge.
The film adheres closely to the actual timeline of events, from the bombing at the marathon's finish line on April 15, 2013, to the four-day investigation and pursuit that followed. Many characters are direct portrayals of real individuals, including Police Commissioner Ed Davis, FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers, Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, and victims like Dun Meng and the Richard family. The production integrates actual news reports and surveillance footage to enhance its authenticity. However, the central protagonist, Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (portrayed by Mark Wahlberg), is a fictional composite character. He was created to serve as a narrative guide for the audience, representing the collective actions and experiences of multiple Boston Police Department officers who were involved in different aspects of the crisis.
In essence, while the overarching narrative, key incidents, and many of the individuals depicted are historically accurate, the film utilizes dramatic license to streamline the story. The creation of a composite character is a common cinematic technique used to condense a complex event involving numerous participants into a more focused and accessible narrative. Therefore, the movie is best understood as a docudrama that prioritizes the factual and emotional truth of the event rather than a literal, documentary-style reenactment.
