Customer Reviews

Robert De Niro and the Fireman

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Bill Cosgrove's recounts his friendship with Robert DeNiro and the movie Backdraft in his first book, "Robert Deniro and the Fireman". Bill tells us about meeting the famous actor, and eventually he is hand picked to be DeNiro's technical advisor for the movie. We follow the pair around the streets of Chicago, to the different places Backdraft was filmed at. Bill tells us where many of the scenes were shot at, and what its like to be on a movie set. But most of all, it tells of a friendship- one that brought a regular firefighter together with one of Hollywood's famous actors, and a pair of socks.

Willaim Cosgrove is probably an excellent fireman, good husband and father, etvc. But he is not even a fair writer. Hired to be Robert De Niro's technical assitant for the making of the movie Backdraft, Cosgrove's prose resembles that of a love-sick tween describing a back-stage encounter with a pop music star. Other than knowing that De Niro is famous, and that movies are made, Cosgrove shows no deeper knowledge of his subjects than was presented to him during this experience. Thus, no analysis or depth - strictly a chronological narrative, without any insights.

Brother Bill Cosgrove did an excellent job when writing this book. What an experience he must have had.