Fireproof Your Movie Choices

June 30, 2009

We, at TLC, have been bombarded with emails about the Kirk Cameron (yes, the one from 80s sitcom “Growing Pains”) film “Fireproof,” about a young couple that was able to turn their failing marriage around and fall back in love with each other.

 

I rented the movie wanting to see what the fuss was all about. I didn’t have high hopes for it since I didn’t think it even graced the theaters, and the last hit movie Cameron was in was … never.  Turns out I was wrong about it not hitting the theaters. According to ABC News, “Fireproof” was the top-grossing independent film in 2008, beating out Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and Sean Penn in “Milk.” The film earned $33 million at the box office in 2008 on an almost unheard of $500,000 budget.

 

Produced by Sherwood Pictures, the moviemaking ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA, “Fireproof” is a Christian-themed film that pretty heavy-handily preaches the importance of faith in life and marriage.

 

I was not wrong, however, about having low expectations for the film. The writing is riddled with clichés, the storyline is predictable, and the actors alternate between over-acting and no acting. In other words, it might be surprising that it did so phenomenally well at the box office, but not surprising it wasn’t mentioned at any award shows.

 

But I don’t think people watch this film expecting academy-award performances; they watch it for its message and advice.

 

“Never leave your partner behind” is a rule repeated often at the fire station where Cameron’s character, Caleb Holt, is the fire captain. I wonder if that has a double meaning. Ya think? We see him as a courageous firefighter, a strong leader and a good friend to his men at work. But at home he’s an arrogant, insensitive, selfish husband with an addiction to Internet porn (really). I’d leave him. And that’s what his attractive wife (with a handsome doting doctor pursuing her at work) is about to do.

 

Caleb’s father, a devout man who credits the savoir of his troubled marriage to a book called “The Love Dare,” gives his son this book. He asks him to follow the instructions in it for 40 days -- before proceeding with a divorce. Caleb, a skeptic of the book and his father’s beliefs, agrees and reluctantly follows the daily “dares” in the book such as:
• “Say nothing negative to your spouse.”
• “Do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness”
• “Contact your spouse, without an agenda other than asking how he/she is and if there is anything you can do for him/her.”

 

All very good advice if you ask me. Excellent advice, actually.

 

Caleb becomes a believer and a changed man, wins his wife back and saves his marriage. Not much of a surprise or twist ending. While the overtly Christian message might be a turn off for some (and not to others), the advice about ways to protect or save your marriage, and lessons in how to love unconditionally, are worth learning – and discussing.

 

Have you seen the movie? Share your thoughts. .

Comments

[Dave]

I would think this movie would be a good match with TLC, although there aren't a lot of movies on TLC. I think TLC should maybe consider getting the rights to the movie and showing it.

The film was produced by the film ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church and if you had dug a little further, you would have found out that other than Kirk Cameron, no on else in the movie was an actor, but rather actual members of that church.....the same as the other two movies they made......."Facing The Giants" and "Flywheel".

They didn't set out to make an Academy award winning movie, they set out to make a movie that had some plot, heart and message. Kind of like all of those things "Jon and Kate" started with and let deteriorate over the years. It would be interesting to see Jon and Kate do "The Love Dare" and see what would happen to

[Linda]

Yes, I saw Fireproof, it was an awesome movie & it really hit me even
tho' I'm not married but a widow. I
think everyone should see it married
or not. The underlying meaning is
what hit you. Too bad Jon & Kate didn't see this & go thru the 40 day
dare before they threw their marriage
away. I wish they had a 40 day book
for singles. I think so many churches
could use it for bible studies.

[Sarah]

YES YES YES!!!! Fireproof was an awesome movie. I loved it!!! No the acting was general of course but the meaning behind it all is something that the whole world needs to reflect on because of the amount of divorces going on. This movie is definitely a test of your faith in GOD and whether or not you want to save your marriage. I am a newlywed and my husband and I saw this movie before we got married. We learned alot and being a Christian the movie did show us that marriage is hard but you when your faith is on an extreme high and you know that GOD will guide you to work it out because you have to change. What a blessing that is!!!

[Melissa L.]

I saw the movie also and I loved it! True, the acting was not great, but that's not why I watched the movie & read the book, I did it in hopes that I could learn the mistakes I made in my marriage & how I could prevent making these mistakes again. When you read the book you can see that this advice can be used in any relationship, not just in marriage. There is now a book called "Fireproof Your Life" which I plan to read also. How about doing a reality show with several "real" families going through "The Love Dare"? I would watch it faithfully!! How 'bout it, TLC?!

[mbanuelos]

I am very happy that TLC is getting bombarded with this movie and book , I watched the movie and actually started the 40 day challenge, it brought blessings to my life and to my family, I know that part of the reason there is such a high divorce rate is because this is the "Me" generation, People are thinking only of themselves instead of working for their marriage they are giving up on it because they dont want to put in the work, marriage is not easy but people are finding it easy to just walk away and get married to someone and they end up having the same problems because they are leaving their 80% to only gain 20%. I think its sad when people decide its about them instead of their children.

[sage1212]

yes, I've seen Fireproof - and I'm curious...why is TLC being bombarded with emails about this film? Do people think that TLC should encourage Jon and Kate to watch it - in hopes that they will fix the brokenness in their home? After seeing the film Fireproof, I first felt a sense of hope and fuzzy, warm feelings that the movie intended to reveal. Not long after that, I was angry and disgusted that the film makers created such a scene that is so far beyond what REAL life is like. There are not many guys out there today who would be willing to take on such a 40 day challenge. If I were in a situation where my marriage was falling apart, I would consider this movie to be a tease for unreachable happiness. It's just not fair how life always works out "in the movies".