The 2016 film Patriots Day extensively incorporates authentic archival footage into its narrative. Director Peter Berg integrated dramatized scenes performed by actors with actual video materials from the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and the subsequent manhunt. This material includes genuine news broadcasts, police and civilian recordings, and crucial surveillance camera footage from the event.
This filmmaking technique is a defining characteristic of the movie's docudrama style. Throughout the film, the narrative seamlessly transitions between reenactments and the real video that was central to the investigation. For example, the film displays the actual CCTV clips that helped law enforcement identify the perpetrators, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, as they moved through the marathon crowds. The inclusion of real-time news reports and official announcements from figures like FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers grounds the cinematic storytelling in the factual record.
The purpose of blending these elements is to heighten the film's authenticity and emotional weight, effectively blurring the line between a cinematic retelling and a historical document. The most prominent use of non-fictional material appears in the film's epilogue. This concluding segment features interviews and personal footage of the real-life survivors, first responders, and investigators portrayed in the movie, such as Police Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, carjacking victim Dun Meng, and survivors Patrick Downes and Jessica Kensky. This tribute directly connects the audience with the actual people impacted by the tragedy.
