Customer Reviews

Fireproof

5 star:		(578)
4 star:		(81)
3 star:		(30)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(54)

 

 

Reading the reviews here and seeing the variety of reactions to Fireproof is almost as interesting as the movie itself.

Most of the positive reviews focus on the message. Most of the negative reviews focus on the technical quality of the movie, and/or the reviewers' feelings about Christianity. Accordingly, I'd like to chime in on these three topics.

Technical Quality: Although I did like the movie, I have to admit the negative reviewers have a point here. The cinematography and special effects are more in line with what you'd expect on a TV show than a feature film. There's nothing glaringly awful, but the viewer is definitely aware this film was not financed like a big-budget Hollywood movie.

The acting performances are about the same. Cameron puts in a solid professional job, but nothing that's going to go down in history as one of the great performances of all time. The rest of the cast is pretty spotty, and most of them have at least one line or one scene that comes off a bit lame. Again, not so bad as to be unwatchable, but definitely below average for feature films.

The Message: This is why people like the film, and why I liked it too. There are actually two messages here - one about marriage and one about Christianity. Most of the negative reviewers can't seem to separate these two issues, which is understandable since there' entwined. Let me take a stab at dealing with them separately.

The marriage-related messages portrayed in this movie are:
1) Married people who are predominantly focused on their own feelings and their own needs are not likely to succeed. Marriage takes a lot of work, and a predominantly selfless attitude.
2) In order for a marriage to work, both partners have to be willing to admit that they are flawed human beings, that they make mistakes, that they are sometimes selfish and hurtful, and that they sometimes have to ask humbly to be forgiven. Christians certainly recognize this message, but it applies equally to non-Christians (except for those who are perfect, many of whom apparently have written reviews of Fireproof here).
3) There will be conflicts and hard times during a marriage, and when this happens, both partners must be committed to making it work and ensuring the survival of the marriage - even when this seems like a lot of work and doesn't seem to be rewarded or recognized.
4) For a marriage to really work, both partners will have to continually grow and improve themselves - often in ways that are not comfortable and entail sacrifices.

Anyone who has actually been married for a while and worked through problems will recognize the above themes as true to life - and, most emphatically, true to life in a way that Hollywood movie portrayals of love and romance are definitely not true to life.

I believe that most of the people who liked this movie - certainly me and my wife - are resonating with FINALLY a movie that seems to understand what enduring marriage and love that grows over the years are really all about. Most movies portray love as a state of blissful happiness - which it sometimes is - but miss the larger picture of love as an ongoing project that two people work on, working hard and selflessly, for many years.

The Christian Message: People who are just flat-out offended by Christianity, or those who have past traumas, grudges, or anger toward Christians, simply are not going to like this movie. If you're in this group, just don't go.

The people in this movie express and embody their work on their marriage and their personal growth through their faith. If you're a Christian, you will very likely identify with this and see it is a positive.

If you're a non-Christian who has a generally benign, friendly attitude toward Christianity and Christians, this movie might be worth a try for you. The challenges these folks face and the things they have to overcome are not limited only to Christians, and may be familiar to you. They do frame their solutions and their personal work in Christian terms. If you're interested in Christianity, or how Christains frame and work through personal problems, then this movie might have some interest for you.

I watched this movie at the local theater TWICE last week and loved it both times. It evokes a variety of emotions including laughter, tears, tension. Many co-workers watched it also and we could not stop talking about it. The writing is superb! The actors and actresses are perfect for their parts (even the church members that have roles).

Even if you are not married, this movie can still teach you about relationships. Just because you are single or have a good marriage does not mean you should not watch it.

An excellent addition to any movie library. The Kendrick brothers just keep getting better!

I see that a few folks have given very angry negative reviews because of this pic's Christian perspective, but their emotional reaction misses the point entirely. The film is not trying to convert anyone, it's simply trying to show that even a badly damaged marriage can be redeemed, and is worth redeeming.

OK, not as glossy as we've come to expect from the studios - the acting is, for the most part, pretty poor, and the dialog is stilted. But - take it from someone who has been there - I've never seen a movie that better depicted the hurt, frustration, and hopelessness of a failing marriage, and what can be accomplished if one makes the commitment to save it.

I still remember the night I went out with my family to watch this movie. If you haven't watched any meaningful movie this year, don't let this one go by, it is rich, honest and totally captivating. We need more movies like this in our theaters. The cast was great, the screewriting excellent and the message is powerful. As a Christian, I was touched beyond words and couldn't not help but cry when Kirk Cameron's character was complaining to his Dad next to the old cross and then without any word from his father he finally understood a message that changed his life and would change anyone's life. I love this movie and recommend it to everyone, doesn't matter if you're in a relationship or not. It is without a doubt my favorite pick of the whole year.

When I went to see this with my parents; I just expected a movie about firefighting, because my dad is a firefighter, and he wanted to see it also! It turned out to be a movie about love, God, and marriage. Captain Caleb Holt is a firefighter who is having problems with his wife, Catherine. They have a huge fight, and Catherine wants a divorce. Caleb visits his dad and dad gives him a book about a 40 day challenge. Each day, he has to do something nice for his wife, like buying her flowers, and making a romantic dinner. It's not all serious, there are quite a few funny moments, and a little suspense when it comes to firefighting. When Catherine thinks that Caleb is being nice just to get money from the divorce, he still doesn't stop. Around the 20th day, Caleb finally wants to commit to keeping Catherine. It gets really emotional sometimes. If you are a fireman, like love stories, or a Christian, you'll love FIREPROOF!!!

I WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED OF THE DEPTH AND HONESTY PORTRAYED IN THIS MOVIE CONCERNING TROUBLED MARRIAGES AND THE SOLUTIONS PROVIDED IN HEALING THE WOUNDS AND REBUILDING A MORE SOLID FOUNDATION. THE MOVIE WAS GREATLY AFFECTIVE WITHOUT THE USE OF ANY FOUL LANGUAGE! I THINK EVERY HOME OUGHT TO HAVE THE MOVIE AND THE PRINCIPLES BE USED REGULARLY TO MAINTAIN A HAPPY AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP/MARRIAGE. I'D LOVE TO SEE MORE MOVIES MADE WITH THE HEALTHY PRICIPLES OF LIFE USED TO ENHANCE ALL AREAS OF LIFE, IE:RELATIONSHIPS IN THE HOME, WORK, ETC. AND IN FRIENDSHIPS.

WHEN THE MOVIE FINALLY REACHED OUR AREA IN THE MOVIE THEATERS, IT WAS RUN FOR ONE WEEK. WHAT A DISSPPOINTMENT!

Briefly, it was a very good drama with a volunteer cast of unknowns except for Kirk Cameron who surprised me with an incredible acting job! He's not that teenager in Growing Pains anymore. There is alot of humor and reality in the movie. If your a christian, you can see what the writer is trying to say pretty easy. If your not a christian, this movie will inspire and stir up alot of emotion you probably never knew you had. Because of the unknown actors in this movie, it was much more "real" to me. It was very believable. I think everyone should see it and then reflect on it. I was quite moved, it was an experience.

Kirk Cameron totally stood me up. "Come to a screening of my new movie," he says. "I'll be there and it would be fun to meet up." So off I went yesterday, along with Aileen and our friends Julian and Stacey (yes, I think all of my friends have their own blogs), to attend a pre-screening of Fireproof in Buffalo, New York. But conspicuously absent was Kirk. He was a no-show. It hurt. (Though shortly after the movie ended, while I was drowning my sorrows in Dairy Queen, he called to apologize and say that his flight from L.A. had arrived late. I guess that's a pretty good excuse.)

On to the film.

Fireproof is a product of the team who brought us Facing the Giants, a film produced with a budget of merely $100,000 that went on to gross $15,000,000. In this new film Kirk Cameron plays Caleb Holt, a fire chief in Albany, Georgia. While he is loved by the men who work for him and regarded as a hero in his town, Caleb struggles in his relationship with his wife, Catherine. After seven years of marriage it seems that the relationship is growing cold. Caleb finds solace in looking at pornography on the Internet while Catherine finds herself in a growing relationship with a colleague. As the couple begins to steel themselves for a divorce, and as they begin the process of ending their marriage, Caleb's father presents him with a book and challenges him to begin a 40-day experiment he calls "The Love Dare." Caleb decides to give it a shot, though he does so more to respect his father than to salvage his failing marriage. Struggling to show love for his wife even as she continually rejects him, Caleb calls his father and asks, "How am I supposed to show love to someone who constantly rejects me?" This gives his father an opportunity to share the gospel with him and, armed with the reality of a new love, Caleb sets out to win back his wife's heart.

I can be excused, I think, for entering the theater somewhat apprehensively. After all, Christians do not have the greatest track record when it comes to combining great spiritual truths with sound art. But in the case of Fireproof I was pleasantly surprised. The film, though produced with a limited budget compared to most of what we see on the big screen, is very well put together. There are really no occasions where I feel a bigger budget might have improved the film, and this despite a couple of extended action sequences where I would almost expect to see quality compromised by budget restrictions. This is clearly not the case.

This is not to say the movie is without blemish. There are a few occasions when the dialog becomes just a bit stiff or stilted and this is especially true in the film's opening moments. There are a couple of times when I feel that portions of the script could have done with just a little bit more tweaking or when a scene could have benefited from just one more take. Also, I feel that a handful of the minor characters are too weak, either through lack of development or through sub-par acting. But these are really the only downsides worth mentioning. (Is it worth mentioning that everyone in the town has a good Georgia accent except for Caleb? How is it that his father and mother both have that southern drawl and he doesn't?)

Kirk Cameron is very solid in the lead role and was a great choice for it. He is strong throughout and at key moments, when given the chance to shine, is outstanding. Erin Bethea, who plays opposite Cameron as Catherine Holt is also very good, and this despite Fireproof being her first major movie role (and only her second role overall). Caleb's father is excellent as a wise, loving, pastoral father. The prominent characters develop well and I found myself genuinely drawn into the story. While the movie deals with difficult and serious themes, it does not take itself so seriously that it cannot pause for a few laughs now and again.

One thing I like to evaluate in Christian movies is whether the film inserts faith themes subtly or blatantly. In the case of Fireproof the person who watches this film will walk away with absolutely no doubt that it is a Christian movie. Faith figures prominently and the gospel is clearly presented. Sinful actions and decisions are shown to have negative consequences and are eventually rebuked. While "The Love Dare" is used to draw Caleb back to his wife, it is clear that this is merely an instrument used by God to do His work. This movie is Christian by any measure. It sweeps to an ending that is powerful and emotional, stirring to tears at least several of the people in the theater with us.

I enjoyed Fireproof and am excited to know that, come September 26, a film with such a good message will be debuting on hundreds or thousands of screens across America. It is a refreshing film with a refreshing message that speaks boldly to a culture infatuated with immorality and convinced that divorce is freedom. I am grateful for this film and pray for its success.

This show was powerful for my husband and me to watch together. Although we feel our marriage is excellent, watching this show made us want to make our marriage even better. The movie was inspiring and thought-provoking. We'd highly recommend it.

THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES I HAVE EVER SEEN! KIRK CAMERON IS OUTSTANDING IN HIS ROLE AS A FIREMAN AND HUSBAND. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT OTHER MOVIES THE KENDRICK BROTHERS PRODUCE!