FIREPROOF

US, 2008, 122 minutes, Colour.
Kirk Cameron, Erin Bethea.
Directed by Alex Kendrick.

Fireproof is the third feature film from Sherwood Production Studios, founded by brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick. They make explicitly Christian films, marketing them to the overtly Christian audiences in the United States. The films include Flywheel, Facing the Giants (which received a commercial release), Fireproof (which not only was commercially released but successful at the box office) and Courageous.

The star is Kirk Cameron, a star who says he had a born-again experience during the making of his successful television series, Growing Pains. He has appeared in a number of features with explicitly Christian messages, especially starring in the Left Behind series.

This film is very earnest. Those who dislike films which have a strong message or which seem to preach, will find the film not to their taste. However, the film had a great impact on average American audiences who want some straightforward film-making as well as having themes that are relevant to themselves.

This film is about a fireman who becomes absorbed in his own life, ignores his wife, and, as the film opens, is involved in shouting matches with her. He blames her and others rather than himself.

At work he is a very successful fireman, challenged by his men – especially an African American co-worker who is also born-again. The wife, in the meantime, is attracted to a doctor at the hospital where she works. The fireman’s father talks about his own experience of marriage. It almost collapsed but he used a process called The Love Date, a forty-day experiment which a partner uses to try to salvage a marriage. The film shows the fireman using this means but not persuading his wife. However, as might be expected from the film, the process actually works.

The performances are not the greatest, the film is very much the television movie style. However, for ordinary audiences who may be facing difficulties in marriage, it may be a helpful film to see and give ideas to those who are struggling with problems.

1. A worthy film, the intended audience? (And those not intended, more sophisticated and non-religious viewers?)

2. The settings, the city, homes, the fire station and the work for the firemen, the hospitals and hospital life? The countryside? The walks in the woods? The clearing with the crosses? The musical score?

3. The title, the reference to marriages being fireproof? So that they won’t be burnt even though the flames go near them? The importance of the forty-day program? Possible to use?

4. The introduction to Caleb and Catherine? The years of their marriage? Caleb and his concentration on his boat, on himself, his insensitivity towards Catherine? His skill at work, relating well to the men? Catherine, her feeling humiliated and unloved? Her work at the hospital? Her attraction towards the doctor? Her chatting with her friends? The arguments at home, the shouting at each other?

5. The intercutting of Caleb talking with his friends and Catherine talking with hers, his despising her approach, the feely-touchy approach? Catherine and her desperation in talking about Caleb and his insensitivity?

6. The men at the fire station, their individual characters, ambitions, jokes, responsibilities? Caleb laying down the law? The competitiveness, the drinking the hot sauce – and the substitute put in? The good-natured banter? The more serious talks about religion, marriage? Their going out on the jobs, their heroism?

7. Catherine at the hospital, discussions with the doctor, the meals? Everybody watching? The girlfriends and their support? Their giving her information – wrong information?

8. Caleb going to talk with his father, his not holding his mother in esteem? Going to the crosses? The father’s explicit Jesus talk and Christian talk? His asking Caleb was there a flame still there for his marriage? Suggesting the forty-day program? Caleb assuming that it was his father’s idea? The final revelation that it was his mother’s idea, bringing the father back? His apology to and embrace of his mother?

9. The forty days, Caleb and his taking things semi-seriously, reading the book, avoiding the explicitly religious parts? His sensitivities, the coffee, the flowers, the phone calls, the offers of help? Catherine and her suspicions, disdaining his approaches?

10. The continuing of the program, the effect on Caleb, some transformation, his wanting to woo Catherine again? His being hurt by her severity, the disregard?

11. The issue of the chair for Catherine’s mother? Catherine assuming the doctor paid, the small contribution? The final discovery that Caleb had paid?

12. Catherine, her being ill, Caleb looking after her? Her puzzle, the divorce papers? Caleb and his plea that she wait?

13. Catherine ultimately relenting, the motivations, the reasons? Caleb and the effect? Going over the forty days? Her reading the book?

14. Caleb’s discussion with his father, his father’s happiness for his son, explaining the situation with his mother?

15. An earnest message, moral message, Christian message, the explicit Jesus and Christian language? The effect for a Christian audience? Audiences going through marriage problems? Audiences not sympathetic to this earnest and message approach?