Jeff Bauman (Jake Gyllenhaal) comes from a boisterous working-class Boston family. He's drinking with his mates as usual at the local bar when his ex Erin Hurley (Tatiana Maslany) walks in with her sister. They're collecting for her run in the Boston Marathon. To her surprise, he waits for her at the finish line and then the Boston bombing happens. Jeff has to deal with losing both his legs. As Erin takes care of him, she clashes with his mother (Miranda Richardson).

This is a pretty simple straight forward story. The outstanding aspect is the two terrific leads. Gyllenhaal is physically and emotionally powerful. Maslany matches him step for step. They have great back and forth. Their acting chemistry is powerful. This is a great character story.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff Bauman, A Costco employee who lost both his legs in the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. He was there at the finishing line to cheer his girlfriend on.

This true life story concentrates on Bauman's recovery with the help of his on/off girlfriend Erin (Tatiana Maslany) and his mother Patty (Miranda Richardson.)

Both women dislike each other but are intent that Bauman can get his life together. However it is a painful struggle for Bauman who to some comes to symbolizes Boston's fortitude.

Stronger seems to very much ignore the perpetrators of the terrorist act. Bauman's description of one of the bombers was very useful to the law enforcement agencies.

It concentrates on Bauman's battles and the various demons he has to fight such as booze and his self pity. The brunt of his anger and frustrations is Erin. They seem to have a dysfunctional relationship but the movie contrived a happy ending for them.

I did wonder why Erin stayed with him and took the abuse from his overbearing mother. It was unclear if Erin really loved Bauman or just felt sorry for him.

Stronger strives to be an uplifting movie of overcoming adversity as well as an attempt to give Gyllenhaal an Oscar nod.

The screenplay though seems to have all the cliches of other movies where the characters end up in the wheelchair. One example being Born on the Fourth of July.

Bauman is uncomfortable being seen as a hero. He was just a young man who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Stronger finally finds a true emotional beat when Bauman meets Carlos, the civilian who came to his rescue in the aftermath of the bombs.

Or go on for that matter. While this seems to be about the Boston Marathon bombing, if you are interested in a Thriller/Action movie that tackles that subject matter and the hunt for those responsible, you are better off with the Mark Wahlberg movie (Patriots Day). This here is a Drama and deals with repercussions and human toll and emotions, after a tragic event and how it affects not just someone who got "injured" (putting it mildly, but surviving does not mean one remains unscathed),but the people around him.

Just because this is a very well done movie (and very well acted, no that you should expect differently),does not mean you will like it. And no you are not a bad person if you are not into a movie like this. Some people like to watch movies for pure entertainment - and that is not what this delivers at all. This takes you places emotionally, as you go on the real life story of our main character. Not sure what changes have been made (mostly they do that for dramatic effect, I reckon this will be true here too),but as it is, this can be viewed as an inspiring and uplifting journey (no pun intended)