CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) – If you’re not familiar with the forest fire tragedy depicted in “Only The Brave”, you might grow impatient with the leisurely build up, but those final fifteen minutes, more than make up for the slow hour and a half.
Josh Brolin stars as an Arizona firefighter who has a dream of leading an elite team fighting forest fires…men called hotshots. “Only The Brave” lulls us early and often with the down home characters.
Becoming a hotshot with their help . Delinquent Miles Teller can’t help but find redemption in such company. Jennifer Connelly and the other wives and girlfriends so admire their men.
It’s not until a raging forest fire tests these hotshots,,,only then does “Only The Brave” snap into high gear, and it’s during those final fifteen minutes that “Only the Brave” atones for the first 90 minutes, and reconfigures itself into a gripping drama.
I suspect the writers had the mood change planned all along, and the emotional shift is handled beautifully and with devastating impact.
Our concern for the characters is enhanced by the recent California wildfires, that register so powerfully in our consciousness. This drama celebrating courage is fortunate enough to be enhanced with truly timely events, along with some fine acting.
This quality film is worth a shining 3 stars. If it’s gut grabbing impact you’re looking for, the hotshots of “Only the brave” provide some of this year’s most stirring moments.
Rated PG-13
2 hours 10 minutes
Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Jeff Bridges