Fireproof

I am a born-again Christian. I am also somewhat of a film snob who counts movies among his favorites that are decidedly R rated (I have no problem with sin being presented in movies as long as it's not presented as something good), and some of my favorites are over 100 years old. Just to let you know where this review is coming from.

With "Fireproof" the Kendrick brothers have matured. Their first film, "Flywheel," was a wonderful story with almost no budget, and amateurishly done. Then came "Facing the Giants," which was pretty good but ultimately forgettable. "Fireproof" finally puts together solid production values, mostly topnotch acting, and a very nicely written script that includes some clever plot twists.

Yes, it is explicitly Christian in its message. Yes, it upholds the sanctity of marriage and celebrates a man fighting for all he's worth to win the love of a wife who's filing for divorce. Yes, there are two or three moments where the sentimentality goes just a bit over the top.

If any of these statements about "Fireproof" close your mind to it, that's your loss, but God bless you as you pass on this one to go see something lighter or edgier. But I promise you, I was very pleasantly surprised at just how good this film is.

Highly recommended for anyone old enough to appreciate the opposite sex.

Hollywood is great at letting us participate in the victories of those who conquer long odds, whether it's sports movies in which the underdog wins the championship or even movies about unlikely romantic pairings (geek meets beauty) that end happily in, say, a wedding. But we see few movies about the joy we feel in conquering the mundane - like in making a marriage work after both sides have lost the motivation to do so.

This is a movie that shows us how hard it is to revive a near-dead marriage, and why it matters so much. Yes, there is a religious context to the movie. A partner in a healthy marriage, we are shown, struggles to emulate the selfless love and service of Jesus by loving and serving his or her spouse, as Jesus would. But the religious aspects of the movie ought not keep away those who are religion-averse. Selfless love and service as the keys to a joyful marriage are not exclusive to any religion.

A great movie for married couples - very thought provoking.

I enjoyed the movie. It hits on many core issues in a marriage, whether you are spiritual or not. Individuals who are not believers will not like it and should stay home if they are not receptive. Just as I do not attend science fiction films because I do not like that genre.

Acting was much better than Facing the Giants. Excellent use of humor. With regard to all-white cast as referred by another summary on this site, I am not sure if that person actually saw the movie given the following facts:

The first word spoken in the movie is by a black person. The wife has two black friends who she she sees quite often. The first person who brings up God to Caleb is his Lt., a black man. There is one other black person at the station who has several lines.

I would hope that summaries be written by people who actually see the movie.

I just got back from seeing this movie opening night. Of the 300 seats, 100 of them were presold and we were told to get there early. I was excited to hear that so many people were supporting this movie on its opening weekend. It's message will hit close to home with so many people. With the high divorce rate these days, I agree that all people should view this movie. I'm not married myself, but it touched me so much because I saw in it the relationship my parent's have had for years. And while it focuses on the husband changing his ways in order to win back his wife, it also touches on wives changing their ways to win back their husbands. There may be many stereotypes shown in this movie, but that comes with movies trying to touch the world. Without stereotypes, we might not understand it so well.

Overall ratings: Plot - 10, Cinematography - 9, Acting - 6 (due to using only one professional actor, kudos to the church members for holding their own)

Here's how this film "imitates life": if you LOOK for flaws, you'll find some, but if you look for blessings, ways to challenge yourself and opportunities to grow, you just may find those, too.

The action sequences are exceptionally well done. A few good laughs are sprinkled in for good measure. Come Oscar time, you won't hear a word about "Fireproof", but come anniversary time, you'll be glad you and your spouse saw it.

This film will not resonate with everyone, especially if you approach it from the mindset that there are no simple truths. But anyone with a less-than-perfect marriage could benefit from seeing it--and that includes all of us, doesn't it!?