If you have been married for more than a week, you need to see this movie. Despite its vague resemblance to a cheesy, after-school special and some moments of seriously rough acting, Fireproof creeps up on you slowly and leaves you with meaty food for thought and a convicting challenge to examine your own relationship. Very rarely do Trey and I watch a movie that stays with us much beyond that evening, but this one, we have not stopped talking about it since we saw it last week. Why? Because at the end of the day its message is so uncompromisingly simple. We love because He first loved us.
The story follows fire chief Caleb, played by '80s heartthrob Kirk Cameron, whose marriage is falling apart and on the brink of divorce. His wife Katherine is the Public Relations representative for a local hospital and other than stormy encounters in the kitchen as he arrives home from 24-hour shifts and she leaves for a busy day at the office, they exist as ships passing in the night. We never really know what causes their 7 year marriage to collapse, but we catch glimpses of Caleb's marital infidelity (internet porn) and other idols (boat obsession). In the meantime, Katherine begins to fall for a doctor at the hospital and decides she wants out of the marriage. Caleb's father, who has recently become a Christian, convinces him to hold off on signing the divorce papers for 40 days to try a "love dare" he sends in a personal journal. Each day offers a new practical challenge for helping to improve the marriage along with Scriptural encouragement. Caleb agrees half-heartedly and nearly gives up several times when his acts of kindness are met with rude rebuffing by Katherine, but somewhere about halfway through the "love dare" Caleb is brought to his knees, confronted by his own sin and tremendous need for God's help. He realizes that he can't truly love Katherine as he ought when he doesn't love God as he ought. Once he comes to faith, the remainder of the dare takes on a whole new dynamic and little by little true change is effected.
Besides its powerful gospel focus, the most compelling message of the film is that love is a choice, not a feeling. It is self-sacrificial and humble. Parasites in a marriage, addictions and idols that pull away our affection, time, and money, leach it of its vitality and give it little chance of survival. It was only when Caleb was willing to completely die to himself that his relationship was able to revive.
Even if you don't have an ear for contemporary Christian music, which certainly dominates the soundtrack, or the ubiquitous twangy southern accents of most of the cast, this movie is rock solid. Shot on a $500,000 budget, it grossed more than $33 million, a little hint to Hollywood that there is, indeed, a market for wholesome, and even overtly Christian movies. Amazingly, the entire cast was volunteer. The movie was produced by Sherwood Pictures, a ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church out of Albany, Georgia. The Love Dare is actually a real book, a 40 day devotional for married couples written by the church's pastors, Stephen and Alex Kendrick. Sherwood Baptist also started a ministry called Fireproof My Marriage to reach out to couples struggling in their relationships. What a novel idea, a movie with a purpose for good, not just entertainment.
Check it out for yourself.
1 comment:
We really liked the movie too. Sherwood Baptist is actually in Brannan's home town. Fun!
Did you watch the extras on the DVD? The final scene at the end where they kiss they brought in Kirk Cameron's wife for the shot because they don't believe in kissing someone who isn't your spouse even if it is only acting. Pretty neat.
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