“Fireproof” Your Worldview
“Every movie has a worldview.” A review I read recently included that statement as a lead-in to an explanation of what the various archetypes and social institutions represented in this particular film. It was an interesting read, so I thought I’d pick a recent film and try to apply this reasoning.
Let’s look at Fireproof. Kirk Cameron as Capt. Caleb Holt represents men whose attention to their wives has been distracted. Those distractions are caused partially by material things (in his case, the desire for a boat, for other, perhaps a fancy car or the accumulation of wealth) and partially by Internet pornography (the attraction of the unattainable, whether in person or online). In either case, they’ve lost their first love and don’t quite know it.
Erin Bethea as Catherine Holt is the woman who knows her husband’s interest has wandered and isn’t quite sure she cares enough to do something about it. She feels like her husband’s servant (take my clothes to the cleaner, make sure there’s a meal prepared for me when I’m home), and in a passive-aggressive way makes her displeasure known. She’s lonely, and like many lonely women in embattled marital situations, responds to the kindness and attention of another man – someone she works with. It seems easier to divorce her husband than to try to solve the problems that plague their marriage.
The fire station and hospital each represent the places where both spouses feel accepted and respected. People who know them look up to them because they both serve well in their jobs. They know exactly what their jobs are, and know they can perform them well. These two locations are places of safety, and we all like our safe places when our emotional homes are unstable.
The crumpled car on the railroad tracks with a high-speed train headed its way and the burning house both represent Caleb and Catherine’s marriage. If someone doesn’t do something to rescue the marriage, it is headed for disaster. Only heroic effort will save the car, and the house, and only extreme heroic effort will save the marriage.
Enter The Love Dare. It’s the real hero of the film. Not the dad who brings it, or the husband who applies it, but only the lessons defined in the book and applied to life will save the marriage.
What does this worldview tell us? Left to our own devices, we can get into a lot of trouble really easily. Even our “safe” places won’t help us, because they let us stay in our current condition, not demanding much of us, just life as usual. It’s the Word of God when studied and applied to our lives that creates real and lasting change, bringing healing and restoration to our lives.
Try it yourself. Pick a film, and think about the characters and institutions represented. What do they mean in the film? What do you think the filmmaker is trying to say?
