Stronger is an inspirational film based on a real life event in which, take viewers on a journey alongside with the hero as he tries to get his life back together again.
To put it differently, it sounds like just another boring and cliché movie. Right?
Nope. It’s more than that. Directed by David Gordon Green, this film is based on an autobiography of Jeffrey Bauman, a Boston Marathon bombing survivor who lost both his legs from that tragedy.
Surprisingly, Stronger caught me off guard because it wasn’t a movie with an overwhelming platitude of inspiration. Instead, it perfectly encapsulates the presence of fear and cowardice before strength; it is quintessential for carbon to endure immense pressure before it turns into a precious stone.
While many would consider the main plot is about Bauman’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) struggles, Green takes a different approach on what seems to be a lack of luster biopic into a tear-inducing mechanism by zooming into the ripple effects, post tragedy, around those who orbits around Bauman’s life in order to accommodate to his struggles.
At the peak of his career, Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of Jeff Bauman is the cherry on the cake. Watch out for a couple of scenes where he will make you tear effortlessly. I was affected deeply especially at the scene where he silently yelled out of frustration. 
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Another notable scene to look out for is where Bauman reached his boiling point and unleashed his anger at his partner, Erin (Tatiana Maslany), who then left him in the car alone, unassisted. Left with no choice, Bauman finds his own way back to his apartment by crawling across the road just to get back to his apartment while he weeps uncontrollably.
Can someone just hand him an Oscar already?
Now let’s talk about Emmy winner, Tatiana Maslany who sometimes takes over the spotlight in the movie as she plays Erin Hurley, Bauman’s on-off girlfriend of three times. Maslany plays a complex character of a self-sacrificing girlfriend who takes care of Bauman at all times, post tragedy. She is the epitome of someone who sticks by your side through thick and thin. Women are portrayed to service the male lead. His dreams are her dreams; his failures are hers, when times are hard, they are to comfort the men.
All in all, if you are into a slow but rewarding filmology experience, this one is for you. You’ll emerge from the cinema with your inner feeling (and mascara) shifted.
Catch the trailer here:
Now showing at Malaysia’s silver screen, get your tickets here!
