About Only The Brave

"Only the Brave," a 2017 American biographical drama film directed by Joseph Kosinski, tells the heroic story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots, an elite crew of firefighters who fought one of the deadliest wildfires in history to save an Arizona town. The film is a depiction of real-life courage in the face of almost certain death.

Making / Production

The film was produced by Black Label Media, Conde Nast Entertainment, and Relevant Entertainment, with Columbia Pictures distributing. Kosinski was chosen due to his ability to delicately handle the real human story at the heart of the disaster.

Actors

• Josh Brolin as Eric Marsh - The crew's leader, Brolin embodied Marsh’s hardened exterior and the internal conflict of leading his team into danger.
• Miles Teller as Brendan McDonough - Delivering empathy and grit, Teller realistically depicted the troubled young recruit’s redemption arc.
• Jeff Bridges as Duane Steinbrink - Bridges provided a solid supporting performance, showing Steinbrink's experience and wisdom.
• Jennifer Connelly as Amanda Marsh - Connelly provided an emotional anchor for the movie, portraying the heartfelt struggle of a woman supporting and fearing for her husband.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The filming of 'Only the Brave' took place in New Mexico to replicate the wildfire scenes in Arizona.
• Real-life hotshot Brendan McDonough provided input during the making of the movie to make the characters and scenes more authentic.

Awards

'Only the Brave' was commended for its storytelling and performances, but did not win major film awards. It won the 'Truly Moving Picture Award' at the 2017 Heartland Film Festival.

Quotes

• "It's not about what's waiting on the other side. It's the climb, baby." - Eric Marsh (Josh Brolin)
• "We are brothers. We are family. Nothin' is more important." - Jesse Steed (James Badge Dale)

Music, Soundtrack

• The original score for the movie was composed by Joseph Trapanese.
• The soundtrack features classic rock songs from the era, reinforcing the time period and setting of the story.
• The end credits feature the emotional song 'Hold the Light' performed by Dierks Bentley and S. Carey.