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When Peter Berg and Mark Wahlberg decided to make a movie about the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, many wondered if it was too soon, or even if it was a story that needed to be told. As someone that grew up near Boston and thought they knew what happened, I can tell you I’m glad they made Patriots Day. Not only is the film extremely respectful to the real life heroes and victims, the movie shows what really happened behind the scenes and highlights the importance of community and heroism. In addition, I had no idea what really transpired on the streets of Watertown between the police and the Tsarnaev brothers, and the film puts you front and center in the middle of the battle which turned into a war zone. Just so you know, typically when police engage someone the ensuing encounter lasts 10 to 15 seconds. The battle between the police and the brothers lasted almost eight minutes and involved semi-automatic weapons and bombs.

For those not familiar with the movie, Patriots Day is based on the account of Boston Police commissioner Ed Davis. Mark Wahlberg stars as Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders who joins survivors, first responders, and investigators in the hunt for the terrorists responsible for the act before they strike again. Patriots Day is a collaboration between CBS Films and 60 Minutes, with senior producer Michael Radutzky serving as a producer on the pic. The movie is not only based on the life rights of Davis, but also utilizes other details surrounding the event based on the 60 Minutes story in which Davis appeared. Scripted by Berg, Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, the film also stars Kevin Bacon, J.K. Simmons, John Goodman, Michael Beach, and Michelle Monaghan. Patriots Day is now playing in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles and expands wide on January 13, 2017. You can read Perri’s review here.

At the Los Angeles press day, I sat down with Michelle Monaghan and Michael Beach for a video interview. They talked about the responsibility of telling this story, the incredible battle that happened on the streets of Watertown, how Peter Berg uses a number of cameras and a lot of improv on set, and a lot more.

Check out what they had to say in the video above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by some images from the film. For more on Patriots Day, watch the trailer or click here for all our previous coverage.

Michelle Monaghan and Michael Beach:

• The responsibility of telling a story of an event that just happened a few years ago.
• How the film shows what really happened in Watertown.
• How they just filmed the movie earlier this year.
• How Peter Berg uses a number of cameras and a lot of improv on set.
• Did the script/story change during production?