‘Stronger’ gives authentic portrait of Boston Marathon bombing survivor‘ ‘s recovery

With intense grit and a minimum of sugar-coating, the true-life drama “Stronger” tells a powerful personal story of tough love and reluctant heroism during the horrific events of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing.

Jeff Bauman, played here by Jake Gyllenhaal, was there, literally feet from the first pressure-cooker bomb that went off that Patriots’ Day. Jeff, who worked in the meat department of a local Costco, was there to impress his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Erin Hurley (Tatiana Maslany), who was running in the marathon on behalf of the hospital where she worked.

Gyllenhaal, director David Gordon Green (“Our Brand Is Crisis”) and first-time screenwriter John Pollono (adapting Bauman’s memoir) depict the pre-marathon Jeff as something of a screw-up. He’s still living with his blowsy mom, Patty (Miranda Richardson), and more apt to hang around and get drunk with his buddies than remember a date with Erin.

Then comes the bombing and its aftermath. Jeff loses both his legs in the blast (the gory details of which are saved until deep into the movie, as traumatic flashbacks). His family, led by Patty and his dad, Big Jeff (Clancy Brown), and friends gather at the hospital, arguing and fending off reporters who try to sneak into the waiting area. Erin joins them, and she’s the first one Jeff wants to see when he comes out of his coma. Jeff, still with a breathing tube in his throat, writes a note — “I saw the bomber” — which helps the FBI find the killers.

For Jeff, though, the hardest part is yet to come: a long recovery, as he learns to navigate basic life skills without legs and endures physical therapy on prosthetic legs. Erin is there for him through much of this, though the effort — and Patty’s frosty opinion of her — strains their relationship.

As Jeff recovers, so does the city, with the ubiquitous “Boston Strong” slogan. He is invited to be a part of that groundswell of emotion, like when he waves the team flag at a Boston Bruins game, but becomes uncomfortable with the “hero” label.

Pollono’s script explores all of Bauman’s conflicting emotions, and Green’s unfussy direction gives Gyllenhaal room to flesh them out fully. Green — whose résumé ranges from indies like “Prince Avalanche” to comedies like “Pineapple Express” — deftly handles the special-effects challenge of showing Gyllenhaal without legs, as actor and director collaborate seamlessly to show the physical challenges of Jeff’s new life.

As good as Gyllenhaal is, Maslany is the foundation of “Stronger.” Best known for her multiple roles on TV’s “Orphan Black,” she channels Erin’s swallowed pain and guilt — the notion that Jeff wouldn’t have been there that day if not for her — in a performance that’s pure fire.

The honesty of “Stronger” is perhaps its greatest element. Unlike director Peter Berg’s hamfisted “Patriots’ Day” last year, this movie doesn’t need to manufacture phony heroes or squeeze false emotion out of a terrible tragedy. It shows people, being as real as they can be outside a documentary, and trusts the audience will connect to them.