Had anyone other than David Gordon Green been attached as director, this story of a Boston Marathon bombing victim would most likely have gone unreviewed in these pages. Jake Gyllenhaal stars, in what may be his most physically and emotionally challenging role to date, as Jeff Bauman, an unremarkable man who is thrust into the spotlight and presumed heroic thanks to what he’s suffered. Green takes the complicated route, placing the tragedy far enough in the background to make a challenging character study: much of the action takes place in the months that follow his double amputation, long after the headlines have moved on. Not everything works — legless Jeff steering as a pal operates the gas and brake pedals is not worth the paltry comic relief it provides. And while the effects work is seamless, it’s not as smooth as the grounding chemistry between Gyllenhaal and Tatiana Maslany. Miranda Richardson’s befuddled impersonation of Jeff’s ever-snockered mom is another standout. (2017) — Scott Marks