The term functions as a noun phrase. The core or head noun is "cast," which refers to the collective group of actors in a production. The subsequent prepositional phrase, "of patriots day movie," serves as a post-modifier, specifying exactly which group of actors is being referenced. Grammatically, this entire phrase acts as a single noun unit within a sentence, capable of serving as a subject, object, or complement.
The 2016 film Patriots Day features an ensemble of actors portraying real-life individuals involved in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt. The principal actors and their roles include Mark Wahlberg as Sergeant Tommy Saunders (a composite character), Kevin Bacon as FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers, John Goodman as Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, J.K. Simmons as Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese of the Watertown Police Department, and Michelle Monaghan as Carol Saunders, a registered nurse and Tommy's wife. Other key performances include Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze as perpetrators Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, respectively.
The selection of this specific group of actors was integral to the film's docudrama style, which aimed to blend cinematic storytelling with historical authenticity. Director Peter Berg's casting combined high-profile, established actors with local Boston-area talent to ground the narrative in a sense of realism and respect for the community it portrays. The use of well-known actors in leadership roles provided a familiar anchor for the audience, while the broader ensemble's performances were crucial for recreating the city-wide response and honoring the victims, first responders, and ordinary citizens who became heroes during the event.
