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Boston "Stronger"

On April 15, 2013 two bombs were detonated at the finish line of the iconic Boston Marathon. Three people were killed, and scores sustained injuries that were in some cases life-threatening; all were unquestionably life-altering.

That the bombing and the stories surrounding it continue to compel us is evident in the fact that the past year has yielded three movies on the subject, each exploring a different facet of the event and its aftermath. Last year's HBO documentary "Marathon: The Patriots Day Bombing" presented the story of six survivors, following them as they pursued treatment for their injuries and tried to come to terms with how their lives had changed as a result of the Boston attack. "Patriots Day," produced by and starring Boston native Mark Wahlberg, presented a semi-fictionalized version of the bombing and the subsequent hunt for the suspects, which froze the city for days after the event.

The latest is "Stronger," based on the story of bombing survivor Jeff Bauman's life before and after the event that caused him to lose both of his legs. The film, which received a hearty welcome in Boston on its release but seems to have sneaked into theaters elsewhere, is a must-see. It's a dramatic, deeply-felt, surprisingly funny and honestly uplifting account of how Bauman, a regular Joe from the Boston suburbs who had the misfortune to be at the marathon finish line at the time of the bombing, struggled to put his life back together after the tragedy.

Jake Gyllenhaal ("Southpaw") plays Jeff, an amiable charmer who works at a local big-box store, lives for the Red Sox, and is trying to woo back his on-again, off-again girlfriend Erin (Tatiana Maslany, Orphan Black). "Stronger" establishes its Beantown cred right up front as Jeff and Erin run into each other at a local bar while he's watching a Sox game and she's doing some last-minute fundraising to support her upcoming run in the Boston Marathon. (If those aren't enough New England bona fides, the bar scene also introduces veteran actor/comedian and Cambridge native Lenny Clarke as Jeff's uncle. For those who don't know him, Clarke is basically the equivalent of carbon on Boston's periodic table of elements: he appears frequently and binds other elements together.)

It seems one of Erin's complaints about Jeff is that he "never shows up." He decides to prove her wrong by waiting for her at the marathon finish line with a big victory sign - which is why he's in the wrong place at the wrong time when the first bomb goes off. He's terribly injured, and the next time Erin sees him, Jeff is unconscious in the hospital, surrounded by a horde of frantic family members, police investigators, press, and others looking for updates on loved ones.

Most viewers will know the story of the bombing itself and its immediate aftermath, and many may know Mr. Bauman's personal story: he was the subject of a famous photo taken shortly after the event, in which his ruined legs are visible as he is being rushed away from the blast area in a wheelchair by local activist Carlos Arredondo. What is likely less familiar are the particulars of Jeff's grueling struggle as he fought to recover from his injuries, but in "Stronger" we see it all: Jeff's agony as hospital staff treat his post-amputation wounds, his battles to navigate his old home with his new physical limitations, his hope and frustration as the relationship with Erin waxes and wanes.

But we also see the fierce family ties, camaraderie with longtime pals, and quirky sense of humor that buoyed Bauman during the dark times. It may seem strange to laugh in the middle of such a story but "Stronger" features frequent funny moments: Jeff makes a "Forrest Gump" wisecrack moments after waking up and being apprised of his situation, and despite his injuries he still horses around with his buddies - though a goofy drunk-driving episode takes on a different vibe when the local cops inevitably recognize him as a bombing survivor and Boston hero.

Screenwriter John Pollono, working from Bauman's own book of the same title, wisely follows the book's thread and keeps the bombing offstage as much as possible in order to foreground Jeff's perspective as he struggles to reclaim his life. Mr. Pollono's list of prior writing credits is short, but his translation of Bauman's experience for the screen is masterful and he may be looking at an Oscar nomination when awards season rolls around.

There ought to be an Oscar nod for Mr. Gyllenhaal as well. In "Stronger" he offers a meticulously constructed physical performance that's simultaneously respectful and authentic and feels absolutely natural, and he exposes himself totally in the emotional moments when Jeff gives in to anger or fear or finds himself overwhelmed by terrible flashbacks to the moments just after the bombing. Gyllenhaal also effortlessly navigates the tricky scenes where Jeff withdraws from those around him but we can still see the turmoil of emotions beneath the shutdown. Some of his strongest work comes as Jeff finds himself on the Bruins' home ice as an honoree. Jeff is shaky and uncertain as with Erin's help he makes his way into the spotlight, relaxes cautiously into the adulation of the cheering crowd, then collapses when he's offstage, seeming to rage at Erin as he's overwhelmed by guilt and terrible memories. It's a compelling passage that illustrates the challenges of living as a survivor, and the difficulties of loving somebody through such hardships.

Mr. Gyllenhaal is well matched by Ms. Maslany, who isn't dealing with physical challenges in her role but is called on to map her own narrow path: her Erin is fierce and sometimes unsympathetic but still warm and hopeful as she displays the tough love that turns out to be what Jeff really needs. Also notable is Miranda Richardson ("Belle"), who's nearly unrecognizable as Jeff's frowzy, hard-drinking mother; she's the strong personality that forms an unwieldy triangle with Jeff and Erin as the three fight to get Jeff's life back on track.

In the end, what makes "Stronger" so compelling is the naked honesty with which Mr. Bauman offers his story, and the skillful empathy that Mr. Gyllenhaal employs in bringing that story to the screen. The Boston Marathon bombing remains emotionally charged for so many people because we've come to know the stories of those who were directly affected. "Stronger" is one of the best of those accounts: the tale of a regular guy who never asked for the injuries that upended his life or the fame that came along with the experience, but manages to rise above it all, staying gracious and humble and funny as he embodies the phrase so closely associated with the bombing and its aftermath: "Boston Strong."