Rama’s SCREEN

FIREPROOF is one of the best romantic drama I’ve ever seen, too bad people are going to overlook this because of its affiliation to Christianity. It doesn’t have extraordinary theatrical elements worthy of a big screen, in fact at times it looks like… a B movie but the story is so powerful and heartfelt that it makes up for what it lacks in the technical production quality of it all. It’s about what it takes to keep your marriage from falling apart and what it means to fall in love all over again. Man, I might turn into a hallmark card if I say more.

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter’s adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules. After seven years of marriage, Caleb and Catherine Holt have drifted so far apart that Catherine wishes she had never married. Neither one understands the pressures the other faces—he as firefighter and she as the public relations director of a hospital. Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks. As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb’s father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment he calls “The Love Dare.”

From time to time there’ll be movies that surprise you cause you think they’d disappoint but they end up being more than just satisfactory. FIREPROOF proves me wrong. This is yet another accomplishment by the people who made that other biblical based movie called FACING GIANTS.
This one has actually funny comedy to accompany the serious drama and both aspects are supported by decent dialogue. The characters may say some cliche wise words but they are nothing short of memorable. This is a chick flick done right. It leaves you with a lasting impression.

Much credit to the man who used to be on TV series Growing Pains. The born again Christian Kirk Cameron stuns the audience with his amazing performance as the husband who is frustrated with his wife but is willing to go through 40 days of love dare to keep them from the possibility of divorce. I always thought Cameron is a low-rated actor who can’t do jack, but in this movie, he is really good at expressing his emotion, it’s as if all his guards are down and you could just see this tormented soul, confused and angry and impatient, not knowing how and if he could ever save his marriage at all.

Most of the supporting actors in this movie are just okay. They often look like they’re either inexperienced, or like stage actors or they’re such amateurs, they don’t know how to pretend like there’s no camera filming them.
I am very impressed with this movie’s sense of humor. Especially the pranks that are done among the firefighters when they’re on brake. I find myself laughing when I thought I was just going to chuckle a bit. The nurses gossiping in the hospital are the highlights.
The fire scenes are surprisingly convincing. Maybe not as visually hypnotic as BACKDRAFT but it ain’t bad for this project’s budget. The movie shows fairly accurate depiction of some of the things Firefighters would do and they either compliment or parallels to the storyline itself. Like an illustration or a metaphor for their marriage.

What makes this movie great is, hands down,… the story. Yes it could get very preachy at times but can you blame it?! It’s a Christian based movie, for pete’s sake. If you don’t wanna watch it then go watch something else but you sure as hell are missing out.
A great movie for couples and also great lesson for singles. Both the husband and the wife are so caught up in their own separate world of work and other hobby that they forget how to treat one another with the utmost affirmation, respect, and love. It’s not about feeling, it’s about willing to do just about anything for the one we love even when we get rejected over and over again. It’s persistence, knowing that it will pay off in the end. If there’s one chick flick you’re going to see this year, let it be FIREPROOF.

* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film