045 Family From The Heart - FireProof Review

[Cliff Ravenscraft]

Budget of the movie was $500,000
The gross revenue of the movie was $33,351,975.00
Movie was filmed in 30 days


In the beginning of the movie, the acting is horrible!
    -The acting becomes decent about 35 to 40 minutes into the movie.


Caleb & Catherine Holt:

1/3 of his salary for the boat being put away
Addicted to pornography
They have His & Her finances


At the gym, Michael says he believes every married couple needs marriage counseling.


Early on in the movie, Caleb totally blows up on Catherine and got in her face.


Caleb believes the issue is simply that Catherine doesn't respect him...



The scene where they moved the car off the train tracks was absolutely phenomenal!
    -The part where the soldier and the business man in a suit run up to help and everyone follows.



Aren't you afraid of dying?
   -Nope, I know where I'm going... I just don't want to get their because I got hit by a train.



Caleb: Marriages aren't fireproof, sometimes you get burned.
Michael: Fireproof doesn't mean a fire will never come, but that when it comes, you'll be able to withstand it.


Michael SUPER GLUED plastic salt and pepper shaker as an analogy of how a husband and wife are meant to be together forever.

        If you pull them apart now, you'll break either one or both of them.



Day 1 Dare: Resolve to demonstrate patience and to say nothing negative to your spouse at all.
James 1:19


Day 2 Dare: In addition to saying nothing negative to your spouse again today, do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness.


Day 3 Dare - Buy something for your spouse today that says, "I was thinking of you today."
 "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves." Philippians 2:3



The Garbage Can & Mr. Rudolph



Caleb's dad... You're only doing what you need to get by...
Caleb: I'm just not feeling anything!


Stephanie's Note:
Catherine asked "When did I stop being good enough for him?"




Casting Crowns Song... SLOW FADE!!!



Day 16 was praying for her..
   - I kinda skipped that one




Catherine is completely unresponsive to Caleb's attempts.
   -Mostly because she has is torn between Caleb and the affection offered by another man.


-In the middle of the movie, Caleb has a conversion experience.


--- One of the best parts of this movie was when Caleb went and confronted Dr. Keller


The Kiss scene


http://FireProofMyMarriage.com




Email from Richard Emblem regarding Fireproof Movie:

Dear Cliff & Stephanie,

This film is not available in the UK but I thought you might like to see this secular review:

The smarmiest aspects of Southern American Protestantism surface in this embarrassingly sincere sermon on the sanctity of matrimony. Caleb (Cameron), a porn-addicted fireman, loses grasp of his marriage to a hospital publicist (Bethea), who similarly lusts after her colleague. Caleb’s “godly” father sends him a “love diary” with instructions on how to win back his wife. The film will no doubt connect with its base, even though it’s utterly uncinematic; this tediously edifying exercise feels exactly like an extended dramatization from The 700 Club. That most of these actors are first-timers (Cameron excluded) really drags this one down in flames.



Some online reviews

As a companion piece to a Bible study group this may have some merit, but it doesn't belong in a theater.


...decently made, with good production values, sincere performances...


This is a decent attempt to combine faith and storytelling that will certainly register with its target audience.


An evangelical bid to transform Satan's headquarters -- the multiplexes -- into ministries of religious healing between handfuls of popcorn, for Christian faithfuls. Though the actual target audiences are the sinners more likely to frequent blockbusters.


I sort of agree with this one here:
You probably can't blame pastors moonlighting as moviemakers for wanting to pack their film with multiple messages, but the conversion subplot feels shoehorned into the more crucial marital doings.

[maurye]

I have seen all three Kendrick Brothers movies being Flywheel, Facing the Giants and Fireproof. Ironic that they all begin with an 'F' word. Honestly, I enjoyed Flywheel above the others. You really have to rent that disc. Warning that this moving may rip at your heart if you're are a father.

The Kendrick brothers have taken faith flicks to the next production level when compared to the Left Behind series and also perhaps the faith flick 'Joshua'.

My wife and joined another 20 or so couples who saw Fireproof on the opening weekend. We hosted a dinner at the church and then drove to the theatre. We had an awesome time at the theatre. Great movie.

Great review of Fireproof, but get Flywheel and you will have an even better appreciation for the church behind Fireproof.

So...what 'F' word will title the next Kendrick Brothers faith flick?   

[MaryJ]

Just finished listening to your podcast on Fireproof.  There was some discussion about whether or not it belonged in a theater.  Let me just say that as a teenager I went with a friend to see a Christian based movie in a theater.  To this day I can't remember what it was.  However, because of that movie, I took my first steps towards becoming a Christian. My friend and I talked all the way home about what it meant to be a Christian, and I heard some things that were really new to me. 

So, that being said, I am thankful for these films that are shown in theaters.  You never know what seeds are being sown in that theater. 

[Cliff Ravenscraft]

Maury,

I will definitely get the Flywheel movie!


Mary, I couldn't agree with you more!

[maurye]

As for Flywheel, it's a dad movie. I related more to the story of Flywheel than Facing the Giants or Fireproof. Flywheel will tug at your heart as a father as Fireproof tugged your heart as a husband. I wonder how many businesses would turn if they followed the sub-plot of Flywheel.

Let me know when you see it. 

[cdm115]

I just watched Fireproof this weekend and listened to your review today. 

I was raised catholic and am a spiritual person, though not a religious person.  I believe in god, but just don't have total faith in god.  I've encountered a couple very religious people in my life who have tried to bring me back but have done it in such a pushy and offensive way that it has made me perhaps a bit more resolute not to get sucked in.  I thought you should know my perspective when I watched the movie. 

Also, I had seen Facing the Giants a while ago.  I wanted to like it, but there was way too much faith involved for me and I just couldn't buy into the movie.

I had a bit of trouble buying into Fireproof too, though after learning that it was created for a Christian audience I can look past it more then I did before.  In the scene where Caleb and his father are in the woodsy area and Caleb has his transformation, the scene was a bit much.  It was a scene where I was like, "ahhhh" and then quickly went to "ughh."   I would have liked it had Caleb finished his rant with Dad at the cross and Dad just said "God loves you even though you don't love him back."  And ended it at that.  Then you get the religious undertone, the message but don't have the feeling that the movie is trying to sell god to you so you can have a good marriage.  In terms of the religious selling it went downhill from there for me.  If I had picked it up as a movie I knew nothing about then I probably wouldn't have liked it as much as I did.  But with an understanding of the movie as a tool for marriages (I'm not married) and the recommendation of Cliff and Steph I was able to enjoy it and take the message of the things that are important in a relationship.

Crissy

[Cliff Ravenscraft]

Crissy,

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts.  As you listened to in our review, I am a Christian and also felt that they were just a little too pushy on the religious undertones (or OVERTONES).

However, there were some good points for marriages and overall it's helping a lot of couples get over their selfishness.  That was the main area that I think the movie did a good job a portreying.

Thanks again for sharing your review!

Cliff