In the end, Only the Brave is definitely a slow watch at times and its run time is slightly longer than the material needs it to be, but when it's slow it also takes its time to emotionally invest you in its characters, so it's sort of a catch-22. The final act of this movie is surprising in multiple ways and it did have me shedding a few tears by the time the credits started to roll. Although I feel there are some abrupt aspects about it, I feel as though it was handled with care and respected the families involved in the actual events. I was not familiar with the events that occurred in real life, so I wasn't sure what to expect from the finale of this film. It really is the fact that this film has a terrific cast that really makes you feel for them when the climax occurs in the third act. With a nice blend of bickering and action, these characters were more fleshed out and likable than I was expecting them to be, which really added a level of intensity to the overall movie. I was quite riveted throughout each one of the fires, and I loved how it didn't take it too seriously to the point of depression. The film dives into their lives outside of work and really invests you in each one of their jobs. A crew of firefighters is out to become the next crew of 'Hot Shots,' and they will do whatever it takes, which also entails hiring some fresh and willing talent. Each and every one of the supporting roles gave their very best as well, making this a very believable and realistic team.The premise of this film is relatively simple.

From Josh Brolin to Miles Teller, to even Taylor Kitsch and Jennifer Connelly, I honestly thought this ensemble was one of the best of the entire year, with the standouts obviously being Brolin and Teller. When you're trying to tell a possibly tragic story about people that may or may not have to give their lives in the wake of danger, it really does require some powerful and devoted performances in order to get the audience to emotionally respond to the events unfolding on-screen.

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