Fireproof
I was expecting this film- funded by a church in Albany, Georgia, the same one responsible for the 2006 film “Facing the Giants” (which was a big hit at my theatre)- to be front-loaded with saccharine religious talk and old-fashioned sentimentality, and indeed it is. But I’d defy most viewers to watch this film about a marriage in crisis, and how outside forces have influence on the general state of things, and not acknowledge that the film has a very real feeling on truth.
“Growing Pains” star Kirk Cameron- now best known for the “Left Behind” films- stars as Caleb, a captain at a firehouse in Albany, Ga., whose personal life is in disaray. His marriage with Catherine (Erin Bethea), a public relations spokeswoman for the local hospital, has deteriorated into constant fighting over everything, from trivial household chores to Caleb’s obsession with online distractions to serious financial issues. Both Caleb and Catherine blame the other for “not getting it,” and after a particularly nasty fight, Catherine’s had enough. She says she’s out, let divorce proceedings begin. Neither has the heart to try and save things- Catherine’s job and her ailing parents take up too much of her time, and Caleb isn’t interested in picking up any of the slack, content to save for his boat while leaving the rest of the financial burden on Catherine.
Enter Caleb’s father (Harris Malcolm), whose wife (Phyllis Malcolm) is frustrated with her son’s stubbornness in dealing with his failing marriage. They, too, were on the rocks several years ago, but now they live peacefully and happily, having found bliss not just in their marriage but in their faith. His father doesn’t want to see Caleb give up yet; he sends him a book- “The Love Dare”- and for the next 40 days, Caleb is to do the things in the book, which will help turn things around for them both. But will Caleb put his whole heart into it, or just go through the motions to appease his father?
Anyone familiar with cinematic cliches should easily know the answer to that question, and co-writer/director Alex Kendrick has studied them with a fine-tooth comb. Admittedly, he and his actors overplay the couple’s bickering at the beginning in a way that almost kills the film’s impact early on- it feels too amateurish to be compelling. But once the story gets going in all its’ threads- and we see the couple’s interactions at work (Caleb with his devout friend Michael (Ken Bevel), Catherine with her girlfriends, and a potential suitor in Dr. Keller (Perry Revell))- do we see the film’s fundamental universality come through. True, it preaches too much about the need for God and faith in one’s life for a truly happy life, but more often than not, the film hits home to anyone with an open mind and an open heart, whether you’re a true believer or not. Kendrick even presents a couple of surprises one may not see coming, which is more than enough for me. At the heart of it all are performances by Cameron and Bethea that hit the mark more often than they miss, and get to the heart of these characters, even if they are revealing flaws more than seeing good. Some people will no doubt leave this theatre sick to their stomach with the film’s sap; those people are welcome to their opinion. I, for one, don’t mind a little sap once in a while; this film hits all the right notes when it counts.
