The keyword phrase functions as a compound noun phrase. It operates as a single conceptual unit that names the specific subject of the article. The core of the phrase is the implied topic of a "comparison" or "analysis," which is then modified and specified by the surrounding words.
This phrase is constructed from two main components. The first part, "Patriots Day movie," is itself a compound noun where "Patriots Day" (a proper noun) and "movie" (a common noun) work together to identify the specific media being analyzed. The second part, "fact vs fiction," is a coordinated noun phrase. Here, the nouns "fact" and "fiction" are set in opposition by the preposition "versus" (vs), establishing the theme of comparison. The entire construction acts as a title or label for the central analytical theme.
Recognizing the phrase's function as a noun is critical because it establishes the article's main point as a subject to be explored, not an action to be performed or a quality to be described. The article's purpose, therefore, is to present and analyze the topic named by this phrase: a direct comparison between the factual historical events of the Boston Marathon bombing and the fictionalized or dramatized elements portrayed in the film "Patriots Day." This grammatical classification dictates that the article's structure should be one of comparative analysis.
