The keyword "patriots day movie based on" functions grammatically as a noun phrase. It acts as a subject of inquiry, identifying the topic as the foundational source material or real-world events that inspired the 2016 film Patriots Day. The film is a docudrama thriller based on the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent city-wide manhunt for the perpetrators.
The film's narrative is primarily adapted from the non-fiction book Boston Strong: A City's Triumph Over Tragedy by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge. The screenplay uses the detailed timeline and firsthand accounts from this book to reconstruct the terrorist attack, the immediate medical and law enforcement response, the complex FBI investigation, and the final violent confrontation with the suspects in Watertown, Massachusetts. It integrates real archival footage and news reports with its dramatized scenes to enhance authenticity.
In its execution, the film translates these factual sources into a cinematic narrative by employing composite characters. The main protagonist, Boston Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders, is a fictional amalgamation of the experiences of multiple real-life law enforcement officers who were central to the events. This storytelling device allows the film to provide a cohesive and personal perspective on a sprawling, multi-agency operation, thereby condensing a complex historical event into a focused and accessible dramatic structure.
