Only the Brave (2017)

Based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, a group of elite firefighters who risk everything to protect a town from a historic wildfire.

Director:

Joseph Kosinski

Writers:

Sean Flynn (based on the GQ article "No Exit" by), Ken Nolan

Stars:

Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Josh Brolin	...	Eric Marsh
Miles Teller	...	Brendan McDonough
Jeff Bridges	...	Duane Steinbrink
Jennifer Connelly	...	Amanda Marsh
James Badge Dale	...	Jesse Steed
Taylor Kitsch	...	Christopher MacKenzie
Andie MacDowell	...	Marvel Steinbrink
Geoff Stults	...	Travis Turbyfill
Alex Russell	...	Andrew Ashcraft
Thad Luckinbill	...	Scott Norris
Ben Hardy	...	Wade Parker
Scott Haze	...	Clayton Whitted
Jake Picking	...	Anthony Rose
Scott Foxx	...	Travis Carter
Dylan Kenin	...	Robert Caldwell

Storyline

In 2007 Prescott, Arizona, Eric Marsh of the Prescott Fire Department is frustrated fighting forest fires when the Type 1 or "Hotshot" front line forest fire fighting crews from afar overrule his operational suggestions to his area's sorrow. To change that, Marsh gets approval from the Mayor to attempt to organize an unprecedented certified municipal-based Hotshot crew for Prescott. To that end, Marsh needs new recruits, which includes the young wastrel, Brendan McDonough, to undergo the rigorous training and qualification testing for the most dangerous of fire fighting duty. Along the way, the new team meets the challenge and the hailed Granite Mountain Hotshots are born. In doing so, all the men, especially McDonough, are changed as new experience and maturity is achieved in fire-forged camaraderie. All this is put to the test in 2013 with the notorious Yarnell Hill Fire that will demand efforts and sacrifices no one can ignore.

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Plot Keywords:

helicopter | wildfire | baby | firefighter | forest fire | 

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Taglines:

The story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots

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Genres:

Action | Biography | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic content, some sexual references, language and drug material

Did You Know?

Trivia

Before Geoff Stults was in this movie as a Granite Mountain Hotshot he also portrayed a fireman on the WB/CW 7th Heaven (1996), in the show's sixth season of 2001-2002.

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Goofs

In the opening scenes the helicopter refills from a nearby swimming pool, but when they release the water over the fire, it comes out muddy.

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Quotes

Eric Marsh: [At the hot shot celebration] So I made up these t-shirts. And in order to wear them you have to be a Granite Mountain hot shot.
[some people cheer, some boo]
Eric Marsh: OK, or sleeping with a hot shot.
[everyone cheers]

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Crazy Credits

Before the credits roll the real Granite Mountain Hotshots are shown along with the actors who portrayed them.

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Alternate Versions

The film's IMAX release presented the film open-matte, at an aspect ratio of 1.90:1, meaning there was more picture information visible in the top and bottom of the frame than in normal theaters and on home video.

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Connections

Featured in Behind the Song: Hold the Light (2018)

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Soundtracks

Jump in the Fire
Written by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Dave Mustaine
Performed by Metallica
Courtesy of Blackened Recordings, Inc.

User Reviews

A Team for the Ages

There have only been a few movies in which the theater I was in went completely silent as the credits rolled. Only the Brave tells the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots who risked their lives to stop wildfires across the country. It's films like this that always move me the most. A group of people who you grow fond of during the course of a film band together in the most dangerous of circumstances for a common cause. When done right, they can be extremely powerful.

Directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Connelly, and Taylor Kitsch among others; all of them do a great job of creating a chemistry and realness between each other. In order to feel anything when these men are entering the flames, there has to be real friendships and relationships built between the actors as these real life heroes. Perhaps more than anything else, Only the Brave completely nailed the bond between the team of hotshots.

Going along with the bonds they have with each other, the film focuses heavily on a few of the men's personal lives, which is where the real emotion lied for me. Jennifer Connelly had the biggest supporting role, as the wife of Brolin's character, but that was far from the only character's personal life I felt attached to. As much as this a tribute to the men on the team, it's also a great film to honor those lives who were affected by the team in any way shape or form.

Kosinski's directing, the team of writers, the ensemble of actors and actresses, and of course everyone else doing the dirty work should be commended for the work here. Only the Brave is a deeply moving film that never takes advantage of the fiery source material to bombastic results, instead only using it to honor the lives impacted. Truly one of the best films of the year.

9.4/10

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 October 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

No Exit

Filming Locations:

Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$38,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,002,665, 22 October 2017

Gross USA:

$18,343,983

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$26,351,322

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures, Black Label Media, Di Bonaventura Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min 118 min (Mainland China Cut Version)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Atmos DTS (DTS: X) SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1