The Art of Fireproofing

On this blog, I have regularly commented about art and faith -- more specificially, calling for people of faith to do a great job when creating art, since I think it's too easy for believers to be lazy about their craft. Think about it -- if you can claim "I'm doing this for the glory of God," then maybe that trumps any discussion of the value of your work. If your art is "God's work," who has the right to question your ability?

I mention this because I've been hearing from Christians that I need to go see the movie "Fireproof" -- a Christian film that has received fairly wide play in theaters. Several Christian writers encouraged me to go, since the film has a strong message and is directed at a good cause. I'll admit I didn't do any preparation for the movie, but instead just showed up so I could take it in and see what the fuss is all about. It turns out it's another one of those films that was written and produced by Christians who have convinced themselves that they're at the top of their game because they have a strong "message." We used to refer to these as "church basement films," since the Billy Graham Association would produce them, then they'd be shown in church basements everywhere, giving believers a chance to nod in agreement with the message and thereby making us feel like we've accomplished something great.

Since there is a big "faith and film" conference going on right now, I'd like to offer some thoughts on "Fireproof" from an artistic viewpoint...

1. Kirk Cameron can't act. Come on...they cast Kirk as the tough captain of a Firehouse? He's a soft metrosexual type. What next -- he's going to cast himself as an NBA center? The guy is completely unbelievable in the shout/be-angry/get-in-the-men's-faces portions of the film. In addition, he always LOOKS like he's acting. The fight scenes with his wife seem fake.  The "place your hands over your face so it will look like you're emotionally struggling" business simply looks like he couldn't figure out what to do in the deeper portions of the movie. Good grief -- why don't we admit the guy wasn't that good 20 years ago on TV's "Growing Pains," so we don't need to fool ourselves into thinking he's suddenly a talent because he's a good guy who loves his wife and is open about his faith? Kirk Cameron IS a good guy, but his acting in this film isn't good enough to star in a movie. And the fact that Christians like him shouldn't blind them to that. (And, let's face it, his acting in the "Left Behind" movies was downright horrible. Egad.)

2. The rest of the cast is awful. The firemen working under Captain Kirk's command are right out of high school acting class. The mom has all the emotional range of a piece of wood. The dad is the guy who used to pastor your church. The doctor has a nice smile, but only two looks -- coy and furtive. Kirk's wife, played by Erin Bethea, is sweet but flat and simply looks like she's in over her head. The one group of people in this film who can actually act are the nurses, who seem to be just extras filling roles.

3. The script is amateurish. Okay, I realize the goal of this movie is commendable, and that commitment to marriage is a good thing, but reflect on the script for minute... The firemen provide comic relief that has nothing to do with the story. The scenes with the next-door neighbor are cute, but get predictable. In fact, the entire film is predictable, since any of us could have foretold what was going to unfold with the story ("he'll become a Christian and win her back"). The film hints at issues in the relationship (finances? internet porn?) without ever exploring them. The religion is so heavy-handed it's like watching a tract. There's no subtlety to the story -- it's a couple fights, she flirts with an affair, then he finds religion and all is well. Name one other bit of conflict in the movie. The whole thing comes across as a 70's TV show, with simple sets and a straightforward story that gets resolved in 90 minutes. From a story perspective, it has all the texture of a genre romance novel, only without the strong sense of place. At no point did I ever get lost in the story, and forget I was sitting in a movie theater. (In fact, I was 15 minutes into this when I turned to my wife and said, "I can't believe we spent $13 for a film that we'll be able to rent for 99 cents in a couple weeks.")

4. There were some good parts. The music and cinematography were very professional. The car caught on the railroad tracks and the child inside the burning house actually created some tension -- but let's face it, neither of those stories had anything to do with the major plotline of the film, nor did either help move the film along. The ending of the movie was touching. While Kirk can't act, he cries well, and that was affecting. The last 30 minutes were much better than the first 45.

5. The message overcomes the art. Here's something True Believers sometimes miss: When you've got a good message ("marriage is good"), the goodness of that message doesn't validate the art. The fact that a couple are fighting and make decisions to turn around their relationship is a fine basis for a movie, but this one doesn't explore that in any deeper way. And the fact that Christians made it, and didn't stumble over themselves while doing so, does not automatically redeem the movie. (I point that out because the "Left Behind" movies were awful -- the last one was such a dog it shed hair on my DVD player.) I think "a lack of badness" doesn't translate into "genuine goodness." The fact is, I found the spiritual message to be heavy-handed and dull, relying on Christianese so that this really becomes a film Christians can go to and feel good about themselves, rather than a film that might actually persuade someone outside the faith.  

Now let me tell you what's going to happen: I'm about to be swamped with messages from True Believers, exclaiming how the film moved them, and saved their marriage, and their best friends went and it saved their marriage as well. Maybe. But anecdotal stories don't create truth. (I can introduce you to people who said their lives changed when they joined a cult, or danced with the Hare Krishna, or when they became atheists, so one person's testimony doesn't necessarily validate a principle.) As I said, there's some actual emotion generated at the end of the film. But this movie lacks substance and subtlety. It lacks texture and finesse. It lacks decent acting and writing. It doesn't suck you in or transport you to another place. And while it offers a fine overall message, that doesn't make up for the fact that the film is not that great. So please don't write to tell me how Billy-Bob's life was spared when he entered the theater, and that he gave up drinking and got baptized and re-committed his life to Christ before entering the priesthood. If you must respond, just tell me what worked or didn't work about the film.

Comments

[Michelle Pendergrass]

I didn't go see it because all the same people who raved about Left Behind (books and movies) raved about this.

But hey, thanks for affirming what I already knew was true. ;)

[susan]

Thank you for reviewing this, because I don't think it will make it to my local cinemas. I'm sad to read that it's pretty much what I thought it would be.

I would love to see Christian arts more a part of all the arts, with the same standards. One day!

[Jason Brett]

You took your wife to a theater for only $13.00? WHERE?!?!

Seriously, I haven't seen the movie because my suspicions were along those lines. The previews did not make the story look compelling. I'm sorry my suspicions are confirmed, but I think your message is a valuable one.

I want to see good Christian-themed movies. But movies are too expensive to see bad ones.

[Heather]

I haven't seen the movie yet (I use the word yet loosely), but I appreciate your comment about anecdotal writing. When people learn I'm a writer, they often magically have a story for me.
Which is nothing but a sermon illustration.
We hate it when other belief systems are message driven (we call it agenda driven) but forget to fight the same motive in our art.

[PatriciaW]

Neither have I seen the movie. Because I suspected much of what you reported.

"The religion is so heavy-handed it's like watching a tract."

Sigh.Someday we'll get it. I'm sure of that because I think we're finally getting it in Christian fiction. Less "Christianese", more real-life faith struggles. I suspect movies will follow.

[Robbie Iobst]

I can't wait to see it.

Sure, Chip, call me a sap, but hey I LIKE seeing movies that move me. Why go see a movie? To be entertained, right? Well, if it moves me and makes me laugh and cry, I think it is entertaining.
I saw the first film these two brothers did and it was sappy, poorly written and done on a shoe-string budget. Guess what? I cried. And not because it broke my heart to see a badly written movie. But because I loved seeing the message of Christ on a film. Yes, even a bad film. The second one they did, the football movie, "Facing the Giants," once again moved me. I saw the cheesiness, the manipulation of emotions. (Remember the crippled father standing up at the end in the endzone - I mean, come on!) I am just as cynical as many of my Christian friends, but again, I laughed and I cried. I liked it.
I see your point, Chip, and I am all for excellence in Christian art. But we have to start somewhere, right? I salute these two gentlemen and their church for at least, TRYING to create movies that glorify Christ. I think my hubby and I are going this weekend, so if I change my mind and have to eat my words, I'll let you know.

[nathan mcgill]

Good points. But I think the true "art" here was in the producing aspect of this film. The church filmmakers were able to use the experience from "Facing The Giants" to capitalize on a market. There is a reason niche films do well at the box office and this was no exception to the rule. They played their audience well, and their audience... and really no one else... paid to see it. They proved to me yet again that there is money in the Christian market. So, we can probably expect to see more Narnia from Disney... Its not christian art, or art, its just industry... and maybe the words Christian and Industry shouldnt really go together, but... well... thats where we are these days. Every great christian packaged product is marketed well. Take the books, Left Behind which translated into those awful movies. Well, its like the lunch box, or action figure of the book. Something else to buy. The message of those books didn't matter too much. I would argue it was about capitalizing on the franchise. I don't think that worked out to well. It goes to show you that works well for Harry Potter may not be such a great idea for novice filmmakers with about a dollar for a budget...or I really hope they had only a dollar. Because if they had two dollars, I might have to rethink everything. Anyway, it was a horrible loss.

What Facing The Giants did was that it found a way, outside of the "basement." The only thing it did, was it took many churches outside of their big or little buildings and it made them go spend money at the theater. Helping AMC's and REGALS everywhere. And now all of us Christian artists are just embarrassed. I will however include Facing The Giants in future investment packets for films because what it did was prove that Christians will buy their own vomit. They gobble it up and they love it. They can save their marriage... yet again. Thats worth the 13 bucks, and its probably worth the other 13 bucks they will spend on the book the filmmakers created for this film. COME ON! Its a 2 hour commercial for a book. As a film, its crap in everyway, totally propaganda, and unimportant. The change you experienced while watching this should have been realizing that you just experienced a 2 hour mind job and that you needed to re-think the Christian sub-culture and "industry" from top to bottom.

[Kate H]

I haven't seen the movie and don't plan to. I would just like to reiterate one of my favorite rants: If you're doing something for the glory of God, it has to be BETTER than anything the world has to offer. (In the OT God would only accept the spotless animals, not the lame ones!) Not only does the message not excuse sloppy craftsmanship, but the craftsmanship has to be exceptional if the message is going to have a chance of getting through to anyone who doesn't already believe it. The story itself has to be the point, has to be told well and honestly, and the message evolves out of that. If you just take a message and dress it up in a flimsy costume, you get something that will make any discerning viewer or reader--Christian or not--gag.

[KR Dial]

What happens when the world has an agenda wrapped in a compelling story? "Cider House Rules." That movie, that book was masterful in creating a story that moved you...all the way to questioning a staunch pro-life position! Study how the world does it "right".

[Timothy Fish]

Psalm 33:3 says, “Sing unto him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.” The keyword here is skillfully. This verse seems to tell us that God wants us to work toward improving our art. As for our art being “better” than the world’s art, what God thinks is better and what the world thinks is better may be two different things. However, I would like to see better scripts and better acting in Christian films. I think God might like to see that too.

[Walrus]

Thank you for every word of this rant. I am so tired of shoddy, substandard Christian "art". I love a good message as much as the next person in the pew but it's so embarrassing when it is delivered so poorly.

I am waiting for Christian writers and movie-makers especially to realize that novels and movies make poor vehicles for sermons. I am starved for good Christian stories. There are plenty of stories with good Christian messages; unfortunately the stories themselves are done poorly.

[Daniel Smith]

I haven't seen it, but I think I did hear about it in the same way that I "heard" about Facing the Giants. And that movie sucked. Badly. I don't think I even finished watching it. I was bored after 10 minutes mostly because the acting was just that bad like you said.

That said, I do think they're learning - and improving. For that, I'll give them credit. If they keep on making better movies and working on their craft, and I'll give them that opportunity, then we'll see where this can go. So far, I do see some improvement. If I stop seeing that, then I think the Christian movie industry will likely suffer a major setback.

It is too much to ask to have a decent plot and some acceptable acting? Even B movies are better!

[Lynette Eason]

I'm LOL because I agree with almost everything you said, Chip. Especially the part about bad acting...ugh.

I did turn to my husband and tell him that if the woman with the stroke miraculously starts talking, I was outta there.

That said, I agree with, um, don't remember who and don't have time to look at the comments, with the person who said that the guys doing the films seemed to be learning and getting better.

I also agree that if Christians need to do things above and beyond the world when it comes to getting the message of Christ out in movies or books.

Unfortunately, this movie, too, fell short. But my husband liked it so I kept my mouth shut. Hard to believe, huh?

Lynette

[Rob Sargeant]

I don't think there's such a thing as a Christian film. There's only good films and bad films. A few films with Christian characters have succeeded artistically, but not many. Most of those were made in the 50's, when Hollywood had higher ethics.

If a Christian makes a car, does that make it a Christian car?

[David Thomas]

Two questions for which I don't have the answer:

1. Are others looking at the box office numbers for these movies and asking, "How much will Christians support (spend on) a top-quality movie?

2. What are those in their Christian movie circle saying about the Christian books/articles/whatever our circle produces?

[D. Ann Graham]

Just out of curiosity, what was your take on THE HIDING PLACE (long ago Corrie Ten Boom story)? Or Mel Gibson's epic that netted more money than he ever made but nearly destroyed him in the process? These are the only two movies that come readily to mind as having a professional quality (by industry standards)without really thinking hard.

One is very old and the other more recent... which tells me that the best art -- whether movies or books -- is HARD TO DO. It always seems to take way more talent, lots more money, more work, more people, and more breaks than are ever available. All of which has to be done in the middle of a battlefield. As a group, I sometimes think we Christians seem to believe we shouldn't have to put up with all that.

So, we don't.

Ann
(of The Rising)

[Karen Witemeyer]

I completely agree that Christians are called to give their best in all they do. We are to work with all our heart, as for the Lord, to bring him glory. However, I would like to speak to the other side - how God can work through our weaknesses as well.

The widow who had only two mites gave everything she had and God found more pleasure in her offering than in that of those who had more. The man with two talents pleased his master as much as the man with five because he took the risk to use then.

I don't personally know the writers or producers of these movies, but I know that their level of expertise in filmaking is much lower than the industry standard. They are learning and growing, and praise God they are not waiting to have everything perfect before they let God use them. We would never accomplish anything for the sake of Christ if we did that.

What they are accomplishing, even with the bad acting and heavy-handed religious writing, is showing Hollywood that people are willing to pay for entertainment with a higher level of moral integrity. If more films are made with uplifting messages (whether overtly Christian or not) because of the success of these films, that is a victory to be celebrated.

I pray that Christians will continue to grow in excellence in all fields of art. In my own writing I am constantly learning and improving my craft, but I pray that God can use my earlier, weaker, manuscripts for his glory as well as the later, stronger ones.

That's my two mites, er... cents.

[Jennifer Johnson]

Hey Chip,

So, tell us how you really feel? :-D

[Dan]

Hey Chip! Alison's Dan here. I had to say something. I have not seen the film. I have also heard plenty of good things about it. But to be honest, if it was my job to take a whack at writing a review of the films without having seen it, that is exactly what I would have guessed.

The Christian film industry reminds me a lot of the Christian book and especially music industry up through the end of the 20th century. Of course, there is still a lot of room for improvement, but I can't help but think of Christian music in the 80's where there was so much heart and so little talent. I hope that the film industry at least keeps moving in the right direction.

That said, I think they are. When you factor out the majority of films that would be produced by TBN or feature Kirk Cameron (don't get me wrong, I think he is probably a great guy), there is a budding Indi Christian film scene (no pun intended) that shows promise. We'll see.

Anyway, hope your well. Let us know when you are out this way. I'd love to do dinner again.

[KR Dial]

This is my second comment on this. Is that allowed? O.K. We do have to be careful of our over excitement at the weaknesses of others. Before kids, I used to write and produce TV spots. For every person that praised my work, there was another person, usually one who had yet to write and produce anything, that slammed the work. And about "Facing the Giants," my little boy loved it! It meant something to him. He had seen it first and begged me to watch it with him. He was seeing scripture in a format that he loved...television, and he wanted to show it to his mother, who gets her scripture from a big black book. This movie spoke to him. So, he is not old enough to know bad acting, but what he noticed was a movie promoting his faith. It was a positive time for our family and worth the money to us.

[Susan K. Stewart]

Thank you to all of you who have the courage to speak out about a bad movie, especially Christians speaking against a "Christian" movie.

Somewhere someone has found a "Thou shalt not talk bad about Christian movies or books or magazines or anything that has "Christian" in front of it" commandment.

It is this attitude that makes Christians look like a bunch of Lemmings following whatever the guy up front says. (And, forbid ever disagree with the pastor.)

I just don't go to these movies any more, whether in the theater or the basement. I don't want to support bad "Christian" art.

[Pam Halter]

hmmmmmm ... Timothy brought up a good point: play SKILLFULLY. We could insert the word "write" for "play," of course.

Scripture also says "do all as unto the LORD."

If you knew God were to personally to go your movie or pick up your book and read it, wouldn't that make a difference in how you wrote it?

And doesn't He do just that?

Just my thoughts ~ pam

[Courtney Walsh]

You've hit a nerve with me (and apparently lots of others) - sometimes I watch "Christian" TV and just say, "Oh, God, I'm sorry." I hate to think that this is the representation of Christ in the world. I have to wonder... 'is this the best we've got??'

I rented "Facing the Giants" because I was told by many church friends I HAD to see it. I turned it off within ten minutes. Bad script + bad acting = BAD, BAD movie. We have fallen so far behind the world in our standards for the arts (lots to do with money, I'm sure...) - and this is why I turned off the first "Left Behind" movie and have ignored "Fireproof." (Also, aren't there any other Christian actors out there besides Kirk Cameron?) I'm just sayin'...

My hope is that we're learning to improve as we go. Then it's all worth it... maybe.

All of it does challenge the artist in me to do something different for a change.

[Gene]

Chip,

I love your frankness and honesty. I LOL'd at your review. I haven't seen Fireproof and don't intend to. Facing the Giants had more cheese than the whole state of Wisconsin so I figured Fireproof would too. Sounds like I'm right.

Rock on, buddy! Keep putting pressure on believers to do all things with excellence!

[Cathy Shouse]

I haven't seen "Fireproof" or heard much about it until Chip's post. I suspect I would feel the same way he does about it. But this topic hit a nerve with me because my husband and I also "wasted" $13 at the theater this weekend.

We went to "An American Carol." I heard about the movie because it was promoted as a story created by conservatives in Hollywood (I think they rounded up all twelve of them they could find) to balance out all the liberal-leaning movies. I never go to a movie without reading the reviews. I went to this one on the opening weekend simply to support the conservative cause. Period.

It was terrible, from minute one. The story line, using the term loosely, made no sense. Well-known actors came on and looked like kids putting together a neighborhood program for laughs--who didn't know how to tell a joke. Well, you get the idea.

I guess the only thought I came away with is that conservatives have had so little chance to work together on a good message, that they will need lots more practice to get up to speed. Maybe it's the same with Christians. I really don't know.

I have observed that Christians are horrible about what I call "eating their young." They really lambast people of their own who fall short. I was let down by "Carol." But that is not the only bad Hollywood movie I've been to. Ever see "What Lies Beneath?" I've heard "Ishstar" set a record for badness.

If we don't let new, untested, groups of people work together, they'll never learn. Having said that, it's very painful to watch--literally. And I always come away doubly disappointed when a group I care about falls flat on its collective face. I'm not sure if this helps the discussion but I've at least expressed myself. Maybe that's what these filmmakers were doing. And we all agree they need to do it much better for us to truly respect their efforts.

Sheesh, I wish a big-name, quality actor would become a Christian. Or maybe Christians will have to keep producing bad movies and save their profits so they can hire the big-name actors who sometimes have low morals? I wonder what the answer is.