Ostensibly to fire-fighting what Deepwater Horizon is to deep sea oil rigging, this ode to the heroic Granite Mountain Hotshots lightens the action load in favour of no-frills drama that simmers in the salt-of-the-earth Arizonian lifestyle. It's a bold move by director Joseph Kosinski, one that doesn't always pay off. For every scene that effectively portrays the dedication these men (and their families) had to one another, there's another scene in which the sentimentality skyrockets to unpalatable levels. A quiet moment at a work BBQ between lonesome rookie Donut (Miles Teller) and the popular Mac (Taylor Kitsch) highlights the sort of subtle, affecting film this can be; whilst an excruciatingly prolonged sequence with Jennifer Connelly tending to an injured horse demonstrates just how easily you can fall off that emotional tightrope. Although Kosinski admirably grounds the movie as a character study, he also fails to fully convey what this perilous occupation entails; a deeper exploration of the job's intricacies could have added a level of interest to match the heart. Considering they're real life people it's uncanny how these men fit into cinematic stereotypes—the grizzled vet, the joker, the playboy, the one who always reads his bible, etc—yet the talented ensemble cast adds profundity, not least Josh Brolin as team leader Eric Marsh. Brolin portrays Marsh like a near-mythical figure, an expert that not only understands the science behind wildfires, but senses the pulse of a fire as if they were linked by an unseen connection. It teeters on absurdity, but Brolin is good enough to keep it from tipping over. Visually stunning and wonderfully acted, but lacking the necessary control over the romanticism of its topic, Only the Brave is a honourable tribute but an unmemorable film.
Review of Only the Brave
