Mark Wahlberg’s day is turned upside down in new ‘Patriots’ Day’ teaser trailer

The film focuses on the aftermath of the terrible attack, intertwining the stories of survivors, first responders, and investigators. The massive manhunt for the perpetrators is also central to the story. Wahlberg plays Boston Police Sgt. Tommy Saunders. He’s joined by Kevin Bacon as Special Agent Richard DesLaurier, John Goodman as Police Commissioner Ed Davis, and J.K. Simmons as Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese.

The trailer takes a look at the beginning of the day, painting a picture of an ordinary holiday in Boston. As Saunders suits up for a day of policing the marathon, his wife (played by Michelle Monaghan) teases him about the yellow vest he has to wear. Everything looks normal at the race itself, too — the crowd cheers for runners, veterans carry the flag, and Wahlberg greets his fellow cops.

That all quickly changes, though. We hear the bombs go off, and the tone is dramatically altered. Law enforcement quickly goes to work, embarking on the high-profile investigation that the whole country followed. Meanwhile, we see the community support one another as the film “celebrates the strength of the people of Boston,” as promised.

Directed by Peter Berg, the film is described as “visceral and unflinching.” The screenplay was written by Peter Berg, Matt Cook, and Joshua Zetumer, and the film is produced by Wahlberg, Scott Stuber, Hutch Parker, Dylan Clark, Stephen Levinson, Dorothy Aufiero, and Michael Radutzky.

Patriots Day opens on December 21 — a release date that seems to indicate awards season aspirations. The trailer looks promising, but we’ll have to wait and see.