Only the Brave

Name: Only the Brave
Genre: Biography, Drama
Released: October 20, 2017
Duration: 134 min
Rating: 72
Cast: Alex Russell, Andie MacDowell, Ben Hardy, Geoff Stults, Jake Picking

2017

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 133 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 133 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate | Release Date: October 20, 2017 | PG-13

Starring: Alex Russell, Andie MacDowell, Ben Hardy, Geoff Stults, Jake Picking, James Badge Dale, Jeff Bridges, Jennifer Connelly, Josh Brolin, Leana Lewis, Lora Martinez-Cunningham, Lulu Jovovich, Miles Teller, Natalie Hall, Scott Haze, Taylor Kitsch, Thad Luckinbill

Summary: All men are created equal... then, a few become firefighters. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefightingAll men are created equal... then, a few become firefighters. Only the Brave, based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, is the heroic story of one unit of local firefighters that through hope, determination, sacrifice, and the drive to protect families, communities, and our country become one of the most elite firefighting teams in the country. As most of us run from danger, they run toward it - they watch over our lives, our homes, everything we hold dear, as they forge a unique brotherhood that comes into focus with one fateful fire.… Expand

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Genre(s): Biography, Drama

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 134 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Bilge Ebiri

Oct 11, 2017

Only the Brave is a visually splendid, spellbinding, and surreal movie that also happens to be an emotionally shattering, over-the-top ugly-cry for the ages. Read full review

Richard Roeper

Oct 18, 2017

It plays like a classic military story about soldiers from various walks of life who bond as brothers. Read full review

Vince Mancini

Dec 4, 2017

Only The Brave (or, The Granite Mountain Hot Shots, the vastly superior title by which it was originally known), feels like the world’s best two-hour beer and/or pick-up truck commercial, and I mean that as a compliment. Read full review

Tom Russo

Oct 18, 2017

The film concerns itself more with beauty shots of the region’s rugged, intimidating vastness than with “Backdraft”-rivaling imagery of combustion as art. Read full review

Kenneth Turan

Oct 19, 2017

While Only the Brave is consistently involving and entertaining, that desire to be accurate about a heroic reality proves to be an at times awkward fit with the conventions of this kind of earnest and old-fashioned Hollywood film. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Oct 18, 2017

Josh Brolin has rarely been better than in this role as the team’s leader, Eric Marsh. Read full review

Empire John Nugent

Nov 13, 2017

A salt-of-the-earth tale that’ll play well in red states, but offers little spark. Read full review

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User Reviews

jasharkowalski

Nov 11, 2017

Didn't expect much when i went to the cinema tonight, but boy, how wrong i was! This is a real gem that nobody should miss ! I have worked along the real US firefighters, i have seen that spirit and this film captured that close-to-madness zeal and knowing that you are doing the right thing.Didn't expect much when i went to the cinema tonight, but boy, how wrong i was! This is a real gem that nobody should miss ! I have worked along the real US firefighters, i have seen that spirit and this film captured that close-to-madness zeal and knowing that you are doing the right thing. Go and see the film, this is the best thing along with the Wind River release in the movies at the moment !… Expand

3 of 3 users found this helpful30

Compi

Apr 29, 2021

Great movie absolutely love it, pays justice to the real life heroes ¡!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

gamedevilbee

Sep 24, 2018

เป็นหนังดราม่า ที่ชอบมาก หลังจากดูจบ
แต่อารมณ์หลังดูจบจะรู้สึก จุกๆ ซึมๆ สะเทือนใจ หลังที่ช่วงแรก ที่มีความรู้สึก อบอุ่นกับมิตรภาพที่งดงาม มีดราม่า สะเทือนอารมณ์บ้าง ก่อนที่จะมาเอามืดแทงคนดู
จะร้องไห้ก็ร้องไม่ออก มันตันๆ รู้สึกอยากจะเรอ ก็เรอไม่ออกอีก T T แนะนำห้ามดูอะไรตลกๆก่อนดูเรื่องนี้เป็นหนังดราม่า ที่ชอบมาก หลังจากดูจบ
แต่อารมณ์หลังดูจบจะรู้สึก จุกๆ ซึมๆ สะเทือนใจ หลังที่ช่วงแรก ที่มีความรู้สึก อบอุ่นกับมิตรภาพที่งดงาม มีดราม่า สะเทือนอารมณ์บ้าง ก่อนที่จะมาเอามืดแทงคนดู
จะร้องไห้ก็ร้องไม่ออก มันตันๆ รู้สึกอยากจะเรอ ก็เรอไม่ออกอีก T T แนะนำห้ามดูอะไรตลกๆก่อนดูเรื่องนี้ มันจะปรับโหมดไม่ทันเลย… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

shpostal

Oct 27, 2017

Hollywood releases a "gotcha" movie with a telling of the true story and tragedy of a group of Arizona firefighters out of Prescott who become certified as "hotshots", the best of the best that risk their lives during fire seasons to put out forest fires all over the parched West andHollywood releases a "gotcha" movie with a telling of the true story and tragedy of a group of Arizona firefighters out of Prescott who become certified as "hotshots", the best of the best that risk their lives during fire seasons to put out forest fires all over the parched West and Southwest. We would indeed be very mean to criticize the intent of this film, but it also reeks of emotional exploitation, and that does the sacrifices of the Granite Mountain Hotshots injustice, all of whom except one who was sent out to scout and base camp at the Yarnell fire perished when ferocious winds switched directions and killed the crew, who were in fireproof bags, but the flames were too hot and their protection just couldn't last long enough for them to outlast the firestorm. While I always enjoy Josh Brolin, a fine actor if there ever was one, and the rest of the cast are fine in their roles, this film spent more time being a social commentary about the lives of the firefighters and stresses on their families, which, after a while, became the cliche festival we have to put up with from writers taking the easy way out. Not that such concerns are invalid- far from it. However, it's repeated over and over - the couples fight, make up, the big picnic and watching the crew harass each other good naturedly, as if to make us feel part of the "gang", as it were. And of course the bar scenes that rightfully cheer the men after saving their town, but cross the line into maudlin quickly. While I am not one who just wanted nothing but a fire holocaust for a movie, there remained a lack of their actual work in other places, details on how firefighters attack wildfires not just on the ground, but from the air, and other methods that should have presented a more whole picture that would have paid respects to the air crews, firefighters who paratroop behind the fire lines and other equally brave people that were ignored. In fact, the only mention of the water from aircraft were when they made mistakes. However, because the movie will raise awareness of the Granite Mountain Hotshots and other heroes in firefighting, one shouldn't dismiss the movie's weaker points. Just spare us the "heroic" commentary, and next time you Hollywood people want to "recognize" bravery, avoid the soap opera feel you seem so inclined to throw in. How about a movie about the Yellowstone Park Fire of 1988? That cataclysm was beyond imagination, the damage astonishing, and the firefighters from all over the nation equally worthy of your attention in LaLa Land, which itself is surrounded by fires most of the late summer every year.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

moviemitch96

Oct 21, 2017

Definitely an inspirational and powerful true story about true heroes! Director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion) departs from his usual sci-fi fare seamlessly with this film, and delivers an honorable retelling of remarkable and courageous heroes. The cast is solid, with Josh Brolin,Definitely an inspirational and powerful true story about true heroes! Director Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Oblivion) departs from his usual sci-fi fare seamlessly with this film, and delivers an honorable retelling of remarkable and courageous heroes. The cast is solid, with Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, Jeff Bridges, Taylor Kitsch, and Jennifer Connelly all giving outstanding performances! Overall, it does have a few formulaic moments throughout, but it's honorable storytelling and dedication to the real-life heroes it depicts more than makes up for that!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Tyranian

Aug 5, 2019

Really powerful film with good performances and visuals. Writing is mostly solid.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Rebecca31

Nov 19, 2017

Here's another "Based on the Incredible True Story" movie so get the tissues ready. I'm getting real sick of all these horrific true story movies that tries its very hardest to reduce you to a blubbering mess by the end of it. After a while they all start to morph into one so while watchingHere's another "Based on the Incredible True Story" movie so get the tissues ready. I'm getting real sick of all these horrific true story movies that tries its very hardest to reduce you to a blubbering mess by the end of it. After a while they all start to morph into one so while watching Only The Brave I couldn't help but feel like I've seen this exact movie before. Only instead of an oil rig it's a wild fire.

This particular true story biopic focuses on the Granite Mountain Hotshots. A tragic story and although the last ten minutes is perhaps the most intense scene in these based on true events movies I only wish I could say the same for the rest of the film. So formulaic it hurts, squeezing in as many overly sentimental scenes of the main characters and their families as it possibly can. And just in case you're not already crying by the end let's not forget the pictures of the real victims saved for the credits. Before they become certified Hotshots we get to meet them as best mates and after twenty minutes in I stopped counting how many times I was hearing the words dude and bro. Just to further drive home the fact that they're such great friends with the best supervisor ever, enter Josh Brolin. Now let's meet Miles Teller, the outsider, the one with the drug problem and has now just had a daughter. Trying to make himself a better person he joins the team and the bromance continues. It moves from scene to scene in a series of mediocre acting and a badly paced story. With the exception of Teller and Brolin every other firefighter was almost a copy and paste of one another and it reduces any character who isn't a Hotshot into a prop. Overly dramatic and cheesy, if there was a way to tell this story onscreen this certainly wasn't it. I lost interest very early on and only regained it towards the end. Not recommended.… Expand

2 of 6 users found this helpful24

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