User reviews

Making a movie that tackles real life marriage problems head on is challenging, and not always easy to watch. Horror, violence, spoofs, fantasy, love stories, biographies offer easy escapes. Fireproof exposes the isolation that can occur between 2 people who started out loving each other, but over time disconnect, become self-absorbed and fall into a pattern of hurting each other. The relational pain finds some comic relief, and there is a job-related diversion. But help comes in the form of a 40 day dare to love. While you may not agree with the faith-based approach, there is no doubt that unconditional love is transforming. I was deeply moved... enough to take the dare myself.

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!?

I almost quit on this movie 20 minutes into it. The script was riddled with trite dialogue and the performances seemed a little stiff. I had a huge problem with the train scene where something significant seemed to happen near the end but was never resolved (and apparently completely forgotten about for the rest of the movie), which was quite bizarre. But as the film progressed and reached its climax, there were actually some very powerful and moving moments, performed very impressively by both Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea. This movie kind of reminded me of "Freedom Writers" where overall it was so-so yet contained some very poignant, profound, and memorable scenes.

I am a Christian and I admired the fact that the makers of "Fireproof" were not shy of bringing forth the Gospel message and how Jesus Christ should be the focal point of a healthy marriage. I couldn't help but think what I would have thought about this movie if I had seen it before I received Christ into my life. Back then, I think I can honestly say that I may very well have turned it off after those first 20 minutes. But if I hadn't, it could very well have helped to change my life. And thinking about it, I bet there are some people out there whose life DID change after watching this, and to that I say hallelujah! :-)

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.

Before I review this film, I think you should know how I'm approaching this. I'm an Evangelical Quaker (basically, a Christian who believes that you can reach anyone by being understanding, compassionate, and loving without thumping their head with a Bible) and my father, at one time, was a pastor of a church plant. My faith, even though I abandoned it for about six months and became an Objectivist (an atheist who believes in individualism), has gotten me far in life. I suffer from Bipolar disorder, and if you know anything about that would know that having this illness is a truly horrible thing. God is the only thing in my life that has been constantly helping me out in times of crisis. I have seen and been in relationships torn apart by addictions. I also want to be a film director someday. On top of that, I write short stories and novels in my free time. I've studied the craft of good storytelling and I can recognize it when I see it.

Now... on to the review... To put it as blunt as possible: Fireproof is for Christians who are really well off in their faith and have not encountered anything truly wounding to them. It's not their fault, I know, but the fact that film makers are making money off of them for money really ticks me off. Christians are a really easy market to milk. Every artist knows that. Why? Well, make a mediocre movie that's politically correct, doesn't offend anyone, and put Jesus' name in it and you'll soon find out. People, especially Christians, are so easily mislead to believe that just because the people who made the movie share their beliefs that it must be good even though the film's clearly bad. I love the premise of it. The idea of sticking by your partner and helping him or her out because you know that it can work out in the end is really rare nowadays. But they deliver it so poorly that it's laughable. And if you think that I'm being somehow "anti-Christian" and that this movie is flawless, let me point out all the things in this movie that are flawed: 1) The conversations between the firefighters is so unrealistic. No curse words at a fire department filled with men? I mean... really? 2) If a guy found out that his wife was flirting with someone at the office with an intent on cheating, his first response should be to take a shotgun, go down where he works and stick it under his chin and say something like: "I'm going to blow your brains all over the wall if you touch her again." You do not show him your wedding ring and say, "Stay away from her or... or... I'll say something even more mean!" Whoo! You tell him, Mr. Firefighter! You tell that mean doctor! 3) You do not get over addictions instantly after being converted. It's a long and hard process. That is a myth that this movie is producing that I have a huge problem with. 4) People do NOT treat you with respect for getting religion of any kind. They will manipulate, mock, and even threaten you for your faith.

Every time Christians tell me this is one of the greatest movies ever made, I die a little inside. But when a truly Christian movie comes along (like Walk the Line or The Road), they ignore it because people say it isn't "Christian" enough. Nonbelievers clearly see the contradictions in that. These are the types of Christian movies that people should look up to instead of this trash:

Tender Mercies (1983) Deals with the theme that some people need to be polished with love in order to change.

The Road (2009) Deals with the theme of persevering in the harshest circumstances presented to you. This was marketed towards Christians to show how the world will be like when the church is next to non-existent. The father-son relationship is a metaphor for passing the torch on to the next generation.

I Am Legend (2007) Deals with the theme of losing everything in your life and then regaining it again and realizing God's love.

The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) Asks the question of how people ignore God when they have seen the Devil.

Walk the Line (2005) Again, deals with the theme that some people need to be polished with love in order to change. Christians complained this wasn't "Christian" enough even though it clearly shows Johnny Cash's faith after he's gotten clean through his actions.

Signs (2002) Deals with the theme of losing everything and losing faith. In this case, a preacher losing his wife. If you hate M. Night Shyamalan a lot, ignore the fact that he made this movie. You'll thank me for it.

I could go on and on. The point? These movies were well done, had great quality, and produced a very strong Christian message. Churches ignored them because they weren't up to their impossible standard of being politically correct and non-offensive and still having good quality. It just can't happen. Why are Christians so afraid to show the brutality of life without God? It doesn't make sense to me... and it never will.

I could go on and on about this, but I think truly open-minded people, no matter what their faith, will get what I'm saying.

God bless, -HorrorWriter7493

I found Fireproof to be entertaining as well in convicting. Most of the acting was realistic and sincere, even if it was not professional. Within a very short time the story had me so involved in the characters lives that any minor flaws were not noticed. As in their previous movies, the Kendricks brothers had me crying, laughing, cheering, and, during the action sequences, on the edge of my seat.

Being a Christian, I was not turned off by the message(s) of faith in Christ that are an inherent part of Sherwood Pictures productions, and I didn't feel like that aspect of the movie was being shoved down my throat. It is presented, laid out before the audience, and is there for you to take it or leave it. If you find occasional conversations about God, Jesus, or spiritual matters offensive, then be warned, you may be offended on occasion. I'm sure there are plenty of movies at your theater that push loose morals, profanity, and obscenity that you can choose if this is not your cup of tea. But if a message of being good, kind, and loving doesn't frighten you, I highly recommend this movie.

At times I saw myself on the screen, as most of us can relate to some level of tension in marriage (or any relationship). The principles behind the message can work in most situations – whether or not you are a Christian. And I believe people of any marital status can learn valuable lessons from this movie and be entertained at the same time.

An interesting side note - I heard in a couple different interviews that Kirk Cameron auditioned for this part like all of the other volunteer actors, AND was a willing volunteer himself - pretty much quieting the skeptics who claim he (and others) were making this movie to line their pockets.

First of all, let me say that I am a Christian. However, I am also a movie nut. I don't go to the theater often. We have a home theater and I would much rather watch a movie at home than go out. My wife wanted to see this one in the theater. We were also being urged to support this movie by our church.

So, like I normally do, I went to IMDb and saw that after 95 or so ratings, it had a 3.6. Hmmm, not very good. I was worried but I agreed to go anyway. Besides, a movie like this is going to draw extremists on both sides and 95 isn't really a good sample size.

I was pleasantly surprised. Now, I don't see any Acadamy Awards upcoming, but the movie was done really well. I think this group has really improved since "Facing the Giants" (which was pretty good but not as good a Fireproof). The big thing I noticed is that there wasn't any sappy Christian dialog. OK, this is a Christian movie and it has a message (just like any other movie) but some of the other Christian movies I've seen have some horrible dialog. Not so here.

The plot was really good with nice character development. I thought the acting was decent too. Now there are times where you can tell this isn't a big dollar Hollywood production, but it didn't really detract from the film too much.

I won't put any spoilers in the movie but I will say that there wasn't a dry eye in the house when we got out.

So, I gave this movie a 7/10. I can tell you that we will probably buy this one on DVD. I'm really looking forward to more great work from this crew.

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.

Why did I write in ALL CAPS? Because it is what it is. A Christian movie.

This movie is VERY heavy on the message. So much so that I think most of the audience will be turned off. I am a Christian and have loved all of Sherwood's films. But this one was the first that seemed to have a fake Gospel message.

Now for a sentence I never thought I'd write - Kirk Cameron was great in the film. Fantastic performance.

So... I give it a 7 as a Christian movie. I liked Facing the Giants better. Also liked - End of the Spear, The List (just saw it), Beyond The Gates and Time Changer.

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)

Okay, the acting and the whole production of the movie is just average...nothing special. So if you can't stand low-budget movies, don't even bother watching Fireproof. HOWEVER, the whole story of this movie is amazing. I definitely recommend it to anyone who is married, or who is looking to fix their marriage, or even just their relationship. This movie is packed with advice, and tips on how to love your partner, even when the relationship is falling apart. Yes, it is a Christian movie, but you don't have to be a Christian to watch it. I'm not religious in any way, but I kinda liked it. Also, LADIES, prepare to bawl. This movie will most likely make you tear up. Seriously. Once you get past the bad acting, and everything else, you really start to get into it, and you feel for the characters. It's really sad what the guy goes through, just to save his marriage. Basically, if you want to see a really good love story, with lots of values and morals in it, and you don't necessarily care how bad the acting is, this is the movie for you!

Anybody who is married should see this movie because we've all had bumps in the road along the way.

Fire department Captain Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) is valued and respected everywhere he goes, except at home. His wife Catherine (Erin Bethea), overwhelmed by her career and her mother's inability to communicate, doesn't feel loved by him; and Caleb's withdrawal of love, along with her inability to respect him cause them to pursue divorce.

Upon finding out about their troubled marriage, Caleb's dad asks him to hold off proceeding with the divorce to make one last effort to save his marriage, a forty-day experiment called, "The Love Dare." Caleb reluctantly agrees to it, and forgetting it took years to dig the hole that their relationship is in, he is upset when it doesn't work immediately. For reasonable reasons, she doesn't react to his efforts at first.

Will Caleb continue to keep going even though she refuses to believe he'll change? Can his dad's love and guidance keep him believing? Will God save their marriage, and make it healthy again? These are the questions that this film answers.

Quote of the movie: Aren't you afraid of dying? No. Cause I know where I am going. I just don't wanna go there because I got hit by a train.

PROS

+ Great example of a father-son relationship, where the son respects his father, puts his trust in him and follows his plan, although initially not knowing what it is all about.

+ Great example of leading by own example, and by the example of IESOUS CHRISTOS.

+ Great Christian theme, without holding back much like in many other 'Christian' movies.

CONS

• Caleb's conversion is very, very thin.

Father: Can't you see that you need his forgiveness?

Son: Yes

Father: Will you trust him with your life?

Son: Slight nodding.

Those words ought to constitute his salvation, what is a farce. There is no repentance nor is there any indication of a baptism.

• No repentance from the real adultery of Caleb and the de-facto adultery of Catherine. We cannot only teach human wisdom from a book, but must more importantly follow the biblical teachings for restoration. There will not be a lasting restoration if the most basic step of repentance is neglected, both a repentance towards THEOS and towards the spouse. A generic apology only to the spouse is not enough.

• No salvation of Catherine. She constantly rejects his efforts during the 40 days, does not show the slightest sign of improvement or redemption from her side, and only changes her mind after the 24k donation of her husband. This sends a very materialistic message to the viewer of the movie and tells us that all his efforts would have failed and they would have divorced, if he would not have made that donation.

They remarry again which is very beautiful and he is a changed and supposedly saved person, but that marriage would in real life continue to suffer if there is zero change from her side and her disrespect resurges after a time.

• The movie contains a scene with car racing on a public street, which is shocking for a Christian movie, especially as it is a scene totally disconnected from the movie.

• A hot sauce contest might be entertaining to the viewer, but 1. The label 'Wrath of G-d' is inadequate and takes His name in vain in a totally unnecessary way (although it is 'THEOS' and not 'G-d'), and 2. At least one in a hundred will repeat this and eventually end up in hospital.

• The website fireproofmymarriage dot com is not working although this movie is still being sold.

Fireproof, while not technically perfect, offers one of the deepest, most intense theater experiences of 2008. But a word of warning: if you are passionate and/or empathetic, it may be too much to handle.

A fireman (Kirk Cameron) with leadership responsibilities and strong commitment to the working relationship among the team finds that his own marriage relationship is suddenly tanking, and spends the rest of the movie finding a way to respond. Will the couple be able to do what it takes for their marriage to survive? Do either of them even want to?

Intensity comes from several sources. The characters brazenly act out in ways that, from our vantage point, make us cringe (déjà vu, perhaps?); there is no quick, easy resolution, and reaching the final disposition wrings more from the characters (and the audience!) than would be expected from, say, the Hollywood quick-fix relationship movies we are accustomed to.

The story paces well, with characters that avoid the stick-figure caricatures we can expect with most H*wood fare, A wonderful balance of humor lightens the movie, and even some of the intense moments are funny as well. (If you have experiences in life that you thought were totally serious at the time, but you look back in laughter, you know what I mean...)

Another couple, my wife, and I watched the movie this afternoon, and after checking the score and reading the comments on IMDb, I must wonder: how can someone see this who has any experience with real life, and not be moved? I personally writhed with tears in my seat most of the time, trying to choke back my reaction so as to not disturb the audience. (My throat is pretty sore right now from stifling it.) Even without top-line actors, the scenes are a testimony to a tragedy in our midst, happening right now in your city and mine, yet unseen.

There are heroes in this movie, and this film will satisfyingly define the difference between their heroism and running with over-weighted spur-of-the-moment feelings from one fire to the next.

The theme could have been conveyed more effectively without the heavy-handed preaching script/scenes. The consequences of the fireman's behavior towards his wife were clearly dramatized and did not need the oratory to expound on the obvious.

The acting was as stilted as the script, especially by the husband/fireman. At times it seemed almost amateurish. His approach to the black firefighter of lower rank to admit that he had changed his beliefs was not believable.

The few firefighting scenes couldn't carry the story; thus it quickly became boring. One of the firefighting scenes was obviously a training exercise. The husband/fireman's heroic actions at the house fire did illustrate his basic reason for being a firefighter. The father/son bond was integral to the story, but also overly preachy.