If you haven't heard of Fireproof, it's the latest made-for-Christian-audience movie that amazed critics by turning a stellar profit – beginning with a $500,000 budget and grossing over $33 million in theatres (but let's not get too excited quite yet). Indeed, the movie has taken on a life of its own, spawning the publishing of two books which have made the New York Times Bestseller list and have generated “Fireproof your marriage” conferences in church all throughout the country.
Fireproof, made by a church ministry that also filmed Facing the Giants, is the story of Caleb Holt (aka Kirk Cameron), a firefighter who's marriage is on the rocks as he struggles with internet porn, has an incontrollable temper, and saves his earnings for a boat while his wife's mother struggles to recover from a stroke. [spoiler alert] The basic plot of the story can be summarized quite simply: Caleb and his wife, Catherine, decide to get a divorce; Caleb's dad gives him a journal of things to do for his wife over the course of 40 days (like buy her flowers, clean the house, don't respond to her with sarcastic remarks, etc) as an attempt to save the marriage; Caleb's Christian co-worker, Michael, continues to challenge him to keep at the activities in the journal even when they go awry; Catherine is pursued by Dr. Keller at her job at the hospital; Caleb performs a number of heroics as a firefighter; Caleb receives divorce papers from his wife; Caleb finds Jesus; Caleb wins Catherine back when she finds out he donated the $24,000 he had saved for his boat to medical supplies for her mom. And they live happily ever after.
I wanted to like this movie. In fact, there were even three scenes when I got choked up a bit – which happened to be the same three scenes Kirk Cameron was capable of convincing me with his acting abilities. It wasn't the poor acting that bothered me so much (I was expecting that), nor the poor script with zero artistic presentation. What bothered me was the kind of Christianity portrayed in the movie and the myriad of stereotypes and caricatures that were utilized throughout it. The basic message of the movie is: its impossible to love your spouse unless you're a Christian – a message that is both untrue and offensive. Every single character in the movie who has a positive relationship is a Christian, and their marriages only got solid when they gave their lives to Jesus. Caleb's simplistic conversion experience in the movie adds to this naïve picture, as everything in his life comes together with relative ease after Jesus takes control.
Furthermore, the roles of each character play to general stereotypes that make the movie all the more distasteful: The steady portrayal of women in the movie is that they are weak-willed and over-emotional and not as responsible for the solidity of a marriage as the husband (although there is one highlight at the very end that is noteworthy). The gossips in the hospital where Catherine works are led by a heavy-set black woman. All of Catherine's “unchristian” friends continually tell her to ditch her husband. All of Caleb's co-workers (with the exception of Michael the Christian, of course) are egotistical and immature men. All the Christians are pure saints and the unChristians are either villains or only their for a dose of humor in the movie. And Caleb solves his addiction to porn by smashing his computer with a baseball bat (as if that really got to his heart).
Now don't get me wrong, I'm sure this movie and the subsequent books and conferences that have come from it have helped people (although my guess is, for the most part, it has only been seen by conservative Christians who watched it because it was what they wanted to hear). They may have even saved some marriages. The advice given to Caleb in the journal and some of the truths talked about in the movie regarding the difficulties of love and marriage are indeed helpful. And I wholeheartedly believe Christianity has something to say about marriage. But rather than creating another Christian entertainment fad that we sell to death so conservative Christians have something to spend their money on without feeling guilty (e.g., Prayer of Jabez, Passion of the Christ, Left Behind, etc), why can't we just make quality art, honest art, and tell stories about the mystery and messyness of life and stop acting like life and faith are so simple, as if we unquestioningly have all the answers (how many of these Christian marriages will need re-saving just in time for the next fad to come around?)? If we are going to communicate a message of hope to our world it can't be so compartmentalized, simplistic, naïve, and lack reflection about the not-so-black-and-white world we live in.
A Prayer to Live in Abundance Not Scarcity
3 years ago
6 comments:
I have no idea why I am commenting, except I think for some reason, you spark my desire for a good healthy debate. Let me first begin that I wholeheartedly agree with your overall point. I am pretty sure this will become the next "Left Behind" --although we can all agree that movie was beyond terrible (save one redeeming quality- I will get to later).
I would disagree with your point that Everything in his life "came together" after he accepted Christ. If you remember, is wife actually filed for divorce AFTER he became a christian, and she was not so easily swayed after he had his big "I'm sorry" moment. I only mention that, because that was something I was quite skeptical of when I started watching the movie. I realize things went a little fast, but it is only a two hour movie. I was also impressed that they even attempted to address pornography, yes I realize its a little late as far as what is really going on in the world today, but they've got to start somewhere. I appreciated their "attempt" find the line between dealing with real issues but not make a smutty movie.
If you take this movie in tandem with the other recent Christian movies, I think this one is better than the rest. Let's not forget it takes money to make good movies, maybe the next one will be even better (with $33 million I should hope so).
Of course this movie portrayed Christians in a positive manner...it was produced by a Christian Production company (notice I didn't say "Christians"). Who wouldn't expect an agenda.
Let's look at if from a mere entertainment perspective--a lot of people christian, and not go to the movies to be entertained. They are willing to overlook a multitude of violence, sex, and other perversions simply to be entertained. I find it interesting that they are unwilling to overlook a little cheese, or unrealistic storyline if you slap Jesus on the label. (I am not implying you--I really mean people in general).
After all of this empty ranting that I am sure no one is reading,
I should also add that
1. I almost gagged when I saw the "Love Dare" book on the shelves. (actually I did gag, I even threw up a little in my mouth).
2. I am hopelessly in love with Kirk Cameron. Hopelessly. I can't help it, I loved Mike Seaver. I loved him on the Library Wall reading, C.S. Lewis (of course). And love... covers a multitude of sins. :)
Megan, Thanks for the comments. You're right, I have to admit that his life was not completely a path of roses after his conversion. I had thought about the divorce papers coming afterward even when I wrote that statement about his conversion being easy, and I think what I was processing when I wrote that was two-fold: 1) His actual conversion was pretty simple - after a 30-second explanation of the gospel by his father, he was convinced. No further questions, no inquiry into other religions, no struggle with issues of faith, etc (obviously, he was raised in a "Christian" environment and had a basic knowledge of it, but nevertheless, it seemed pretty pat). 2) Even though he did have some bumps in the road after his conversion, in less than two weeks every tension in his life had been resolved - he saved his marriage, cured himself of his addiction to pornography, stopped caring about saving up for a boat, stopped getting angry over things, and reconciled with his mom. In a matter of days, his life was completely free of all problems!
I also agree about the fact that they addressed the issue of pornography (a good point someone also made on my facebook version of this blog post). But again, the movie makes it come across as if pornography is an issue for nonchristians and believers less than two weeks old when its well known that many (perhaps most) men in the church today have an ongoing struggle with pornography (I saw a statistic once that said 75% of the men at Promise Keepers admitted to viewing pornography)
Your point about entertainment is well worth thinking about. Perhaps, even in my own mind bad art is a worse sin than simulated violence! But I think Jesus concepts can be brought up in a way that is artistic and not overloaded with "perversions" (the Narnia series, or "Signs" for instance).
As for the profits helping them make the next movie better... we'll see. CNN reported that they "used the profits from the movie to buy 82 acres of land and build a recreation center for the town, equipped with eight tennis courts, eight basketball courts and an equestrian area. A baseball diamond is on the way."
Do we get bonus points for leaving comments longer than the original posts? I think we should.
I see your points about his conversion experience, and I agree. In fact my "favorite" line in the movie is when he walks into the fire station the next day and tells his friend, "I'm in." This followed by some comment from his friend about a brother from another mother. Amazing script writing! However, would anyone really want to watch a movie like that? Who would want to watch them go through hours of counseling, that could go on forever! (another favorite is when the teens were street racing to Third Day, what rebels!) I think the tricky part about making "Christian" movies, that are attractive to everyone (believers and nonbelievers (or whatever we're calling them these days-sorry if that sounds insensitive--it was more a poke at Evangelical Christian culture)) [ooo points for totally illegal double parenthesis!] is that you have to find the balance between portraying life as it is, and the mass consumer's desire to use cinema to escape reality, where everything has a happy ending. Like it or not, lots of people want to watch a movie where they can forget about their own problems, and dream about a world where everything gets neatly packaged into two hours. Sometimes, myself included. Not to mention, that if life isn't "better" (I don't mean happier) with Christ, then what the heck are we doing? What then does it mean to "put our hope in Christ"? What hope do we have to offer the world?
And to address the pornography issue, I agree, it is doubtful that he was so quickly released from his addiction or his anger problem. However, Jesus did say, if your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out. I realize this is packed with implications, and philosophical concepts, and not meant to be taken literally. But, I wonder how many people have actually tried getting rid of their computer? It could be a giant step in removing a constant source of temptation?
And as for art... I also agree, it could have been a lot better, but I think the fact that you admitted to getting choked up several times goes against much of your own arguments.
In my opinion, this means that at the points when you were simply viewing and hearing the movie, and allowing yourself to experience the movie instead of watching with a critical eye (and I don't mean, negative) the art of the movie, moved you.
The art being the cinematography, the sound and even the acting. Don't even try to deny that your heart was beating a little faster when that dude almost got smashed by the train.
You can't contrive tears, as easily as you can cynicism.
OK my kid is screaming so I have to go... being a mom totally interferes with being contemplative.
Can I also state for the record that that girl, the wife, was one of the MOST ANNOYING ACTORS of all time!.
I also noticed that you had no rebuttal for my love of Kirk Cameron. That is because there IS NO rebuttal for that, he is awesome!!!
P.s. if any of my responses seem weird, it might because I had no time to proofread, and I kept having to scroll down to see what you wrote.
Good thoughts, Megan. You make me laugh. As for a rebuttal to your love for Kirk Cameron, I ask you to type in "banana" and "Kirk Cameron" in on youtube.com and watch. That may change your opinion! ;)
Like I said, love covers a multitude of sins. :)
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