ONLY THE BRAVE
Cert 12A, Running time 133mins ★★★
There’s a long slow burn to the action in this real-life firefighting drama.
It’s an honourably sincere and respectful tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the elite firefighters, the Granite Mountain Hotshots – 19 of whom perished saving their town from a ferocious Arizona wildfire in 2013.
However, I may burn in hell for sniggering at the first-degree levels of unsuppressed testosterone and muscle-flexing machismo not seen in cinemas since Tom Cruise took flight in Top Gun.
While waiting for the call to duty, handlebar moustachesporting beefcakes enjoy manly joshing, sweaty workouts and semi-naked games of pitch and toss.
Jailbird Miles Teller is the new recruit trying to go straight by joining James Brolin’s team. Jennifer Connelly and Andie MacDowell play the weeping wives comforted by Jeff Bridges’ former firefighter.
The veteran star has reached an age where he now looks exactly like his father Lloyd in 1980 comedy classic Airplane!
I guess he picked the wrong day to quit smoking.