MOVIE REVIEW: FIREPROOF.
Some of you may not have even heard of the movie Fireproof. Thats because it is a (ssshhhhh!) Christian movie. I know, I know... typically Christian movies tend to fall short of the standard of film produced for a mainstream audience. The acting is usually wooden, the scripting obvious, and the special effects..? Well, they lack the ‘special’. And to be honest, this film does kind of teeter on the edge of the stereotypical Christian film, but it doesn’t matter- I like the movie anyway.
Starring Kirk Cameron (you may know him from the late 1980’s sitcom Growing Pains), Fireproof is the story of a firefighter, Caleb Holt, and his crumbling relationship with his wife Catherine. Calebs father gives him a book entitled ‘the love dare’, which is a 40 day programme to repair his relationship with his wife. On the brink of divorce, Caleb follows the steps in the book. In the beginning, his heart is not in it, and Catherine doesn’t respond to his attempts to repair their broken marriage. However, Caleb is changed by the message of the gospel (the good news that while all people have broken Gods laws and our deserved punishment is eternity in hell, God punished His own son, Jesus, in our place so that we can spend our eternity in heaven). Caleb is then motivated by the love that God showed to us by sending His son to die on the cross in our place, and he renews his efforts to win back his wife. Its not easy, but Caleb succeeds!
So, yes- it is a corny romantic story, but don’t let that put the boys off. Fireproof is littered with comedy and action (mostly through the avenue of the firestation where Caleb works), and although these scenes are obviously included just to keep you interested, there is just the right amount for this tactic to work.
But that isn’t what I really liked about the movie. I loved that the film is a platform on which biblical principals are displayed. The whole ‘love dare’ thing isn’t an idea I would pitch to anyone to fix their broken marriage, but it does serve well to show the difference between ‘trying harder to do better’ and being motivated by the gospel. When Caleb was half-heartedly following the steps in the ‘love dare’, he was motivated by not wanting to fail at his marriage, and surprise, surprise, just trying harder wasn’t working so well for him. There is a poignant moment in this movie when his motivation changes. He is complaining about how he tries and tries to be nice to his wife, and to show her love, but she just rejects him, and shows him hate and disregard. How is he supposed to love someone who so wholeheartedly does not love him back?! It is at this moment that Caleb realises that in fact, that is what God does for us. We show God nothing but hatred,disobedience and disregard. We misuse and mistrust every good thing he has given to us. And while he has every right to be angry back and crush us and leave us to an eternity in hell where we deserve to be, God instead shows us love. Instead of punishing us, God showers the punishment that we deserve on His own son Jesus. In the greatest act of love ever shown, God spares us our rightful punishment, and forgives us for everything we have ever done to hurt Him. We do not deserve his love, but God gives it freely. And with this as his motivation, Caleb is renewed in his desire to reform his relationship with his wife... to love her, as God loves us. And do you know else is good? Just because Caleb understands the gospel, this doesn’t make his marriage suddenly great, like the gospel is the magic cure and everything will now magically fall into place. The difference is Calebs attitude of gratitude to God which changes his approach to his marriage.
If you don’t take this film at face value- that is a story of a marriage that needs work, and look at the deeper story, the real life story of God showing His love to those who don’t deserve it, then this movie only serves to direct the viewer to the cross. I found myself thinking- After all the ways I have dishonoured God, and broken his laws, and defamed him in my life, He still chose to save me from an eternity in Hell. And like Caleb, I found myself feeling very grateful to God, and wanting to act in a way that reflects that gratitude, in order to draw attention to the goodness of God.
So for this reason... I heart this movie! Despite the fact it is obviously a Christian made movie, with all the pitfalls that come with it, I like it :)
p.s... get the DVD... there is an AWESOME 1minute version of the whole movie, which is WELL worth watching!
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