If standing ovations are any indication, the makers of “Facing the Giants” probably have another hit on their hands.
Sherwood Pictures’ latest film, “Fireproof,” won’t release in theaters until Sept. 26, but it’s been screened for pastors and Christian leaders all summer, and often to enthusiastic crowds. At the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Indianapolis, between 3,000 and 4,000 people saw the film, with many standing during the closing credits, applauding the movie’s focus on a biblical view of marriage.
The plot focuses on the struggling marriage of a firefighter named Caleb (played by Kirk Cameron) and his wife, Catherine (Erin Bethea), both of whom are seeking a divorce after having fallen “out of love.” Their lack of communication and their disagreements over finances – as well as his addiction to Internet pornography and her budding romance at work – are tearing them apart. Caleb’s father, though, refuses to see the young couple split up and gives his son a “Love Dare” journal – a 40-day experiment in which Caleb must complete a loving action toward his wife each day. Having rescued numerous people from fires, Caleb sets out to rescue his own marriage and his wife’s heart.
The movie had a $500,000 budget, which is still tiny by Hollywood standards but five times the $100,000 budget of Facing the Giants and 25 times the budget of Sherwood’s first movie, “Flywheel.” The bigger budget – particularly during firefighting scenes, where special effects were required – is evident on the screen. It is expected to open on significantly more screens and in more cities than did Facing the Giants.
“They just keep knocking them out of the park. I’ve seen every one of them,” said Jim Ballard, a Utah-based North American Mission Board missionary who saw a screening of the movie this summer. “I think this is going to address some major issues with marriages. And it’s got enough evangelism in it that people can get saved.”
Sherwood Pictures is a not-for-profit ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Ga., and the brainchild of brothers Stephen and Alex Kendrick, two associate pastors who have written, produced and directed all three films. Just like the previous two films, “Fireproof” features a volunteer cast and crew, with church members holding the majority of the roles. Approximately 1,200 people were involved, doing everything from cooking for the cast and crew to acting.
Cameron, known for his role in several Christian films as well as his star role in the 1980s and early 1990s ABC sitcom “Growing Pains,” turned down a payment for the film and asked instead that a donation be made to a ministry he and his wife run, Camp Firefly. To prepare for his role as a firefighting captain, he worked out and gained about 15 pounds.
With one out of every two marriages in the U.S. ending in divorce, officials with Sherwood Pictures hope that churches get behind the film and help couples learn how to “fireproof” and strengthen their own marriages. They’ve launched two Web sites: FireproofTheMovie.com, which is the official movie Web site, and FireproofMyMarriage.com, which has resources for singles, couples and churches.
Groups such as the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, Focus on the Family, and FamilyLife have backed the film and are urging people to go see it.
“Obviously, we think that marriage is a crucial issue to address in our culture – inside and outside the church,” said Michael Catt, executive producer of the film and senior pastor of Sherwood Baptist. “Marriage has become simply a contract, a piece of paper. We hope that the movie is going to impact homes, not only inside the church but outside the church, because every one of us knows a couple who struggles; either we are, or we know somebody who is.
“If couples learn some things out of this film that will help them in their marriage, then it will be successful to us. If we can help save some marriages that are on the brink of going off a cliff, it would be great.”