Based on the true story of Boston Marathon Bombing survivor and unwitting hero of the time Jeff Bauman, David Gordon Green's Stronger is a low-key and rough around the edges portrait of an everyday man thrust into an out of the ordinary and life changing situation, that allows Jake Gyllenhaal yet another chance to showcase his considerable acting chops.Taking a break or moving on from such projects as Vice Principals and Red Oaks, Gordon Green returns to his more indie focussed and character driven roots to dive into the story of Bauman, a flawed yet likeable Bostonian who is far from your typical trial against adversity like figure.Losing both his legs in the terrorist attack that shocked the world and shook the very foundations of Boston's proud and passionate citizens, Bauman allows Gyllenhaal a chance to inhabit a man whose not only looking to come to grips with his new way of life, but a man looking to make right on his relationship with on and off girlfriend (played well by Orphan Black superstar Tatiana Maslany) and learn to be the best man he can be for her.Stronger is far from what you usually get from these type of true-life inspirational stories, as is to be expected from a filmmaker like Green, and while during its later stages it becomes something more of the usual, for most of the film Green seems more concerned to showcase Bauman's dealings with his proud baseball loving family led by Bauman's Oprah loving mother Patty, played by an almost unrecognisable Miranda Richardson.It's an interesting tactic by Green but sadly this means we never truly get the insight and background to Bauman that would've made Stronger a more emotionally powerful and engaging film and while Green certainly embodies his tale with some raw and genuinely moving portraits of a grief, trauma and personal pain (a scene where Bauman begins to remember the moment the terror attack took place is one of the most haunting in recent memory), there's a lingering sense that Stronger fails to make the lasting impact it could've easily made had the balance been right.Final Say - With Gyllenhaal leading from the front with another convincing and commendable turn, Stronger remains ever watchable and often intimately real but there's an inescapable feeling here that Gordon Green has let an awards worthy turn be squandered on a film that doesn't quite match its leading man.3 swing sets out of 5

Jake gyllenhall did a good job. but the plot was pretty much cliche and predictable. lovable idiot gets maimed, suffers from ptsd, turns into a jerk, yells at everyone, and then finally realizes that he isn't the only one suffering in the world. he then turns into good guy and girl throws herself at him (cuz she's pregnant). Yawn.

A stolid biopic about Jeff Bauman, a man who lost both legs in the Boston marathon bombing. This is one of those movies that hits all its marks, offers nothing remotely surprising, and features a lead performance almost tailor made to be nominated for awards. Jake Gyllenhaal fills that role and delivers a stolid performance that hits all its marks and offers nothing remotely surprising. Are you seeing a theme here? There's nothing wrong with stolid when it comes to movies, and "Stronger" is one of the better examples of a film of its kind.One of the film's best assets is Miranda Richardson, virtually unrecognizable as Bauman's mom, a working class Boston broad surrounded by one of the most horrendous extended families ever put on screen. If Bauman's family is actually like the people who portrayed them in this movie, two lost legs are the least of his problems.Grade: B

My wife and I watched this at home on DVD from our public library. It is a well made movie and the lead actors all do fine jobs. It isn't an entertaining movie as such, the tragedy of a marathon bystander getting his legs blown off followed by the long road back to some sense of normalcy.The family members featured here are vulgar types, often I wanted to reach in and punch the mom or the dad, I suppose it is authentic, I've never been around Boston blue collar people. They are hard to watch most of the time.Jake Gyllenhaal is his usual good self as the victim, Jeff Bauman, a worker at Costco who only goes to see the finish of the 2013 Boston Marathon because his on-off girlfriend is running and he wanted to show her he had some responsibility. She is played also very well by Tatiana Maslany as Erin Hurley. Perhaps the best is British actress Miranda Richardson as the mother, Patty Bauman, who is so irritating all the way through. She is the one I most wanted to punch.Anyway it is a worthwhile movie if a viewer wants a glimpse into what kind of background this injured person had and how he was able to overcome this tragedy and get on with life.