Target viewers for Fireproof are more interested in seeing a cinematic sermon than an actual film. Although that's a club I don't belong to, I'm more than willing to give movies like this a fair shot instead of passing judgment sight unseen. The themes and overall purpose of Fireproof seem as honorable as can be, but the film's hamfisted execution takes an emotional story and turns it into a preachy train wreck.

Kirk Cameron stars as Caleb Holt, a firefighter who's going through some rough times. Over the past few months, Caleb and his wife Catherine (Erin Bethea) have grown more and more distant from one another, to the point that arguments begin at the drop of a hat. Tensions come to a fever pitch when Catherine confesses that she wants a divorce, a demand Caleb is more than happy to give in to. But after seeking guidance from his father (Harris Malcom), Caleb decides he has enough of a desire to save his marriage by employing one last strategy to make it work. On his father's advice, Caleb embarks on a 40-day mission to prove to Catherine that he still loves her, starting with small acts of kindness and working his way up. Then, when it becomes apparent that her mind's made up, Caleb turns to a higher power for guidance as he tries to salvage their broken relationship.

It's hard to discuss issues of faith and weave them into a compelling two-hour package, so a lot of movies like Fireproof  bring up God and use Him as a cheap plot device instead of a thematic wellspring. While I'd like to see God brought up more in cinema, depending on the story and motives involed, I object to tales like Fireproof which incorporate such a simplistic storytelling approach. Not only does director/co-writer Alex Kendrick (Facing the Giants) present God as an all-too-convenient cure-all, he takes the film's religious overtones to the extreme. The screenplay equates not liking someone with murder in the eyes of God, a perspective that emerges as a shameless scare tactic amid an otherwise noble set of morals. Kendrick's downfall involves making harsh generalizations when he should be offering more depth to what he's presenting. 

Even from a narrative standpoint, ignoring all religious overtones, Fireproof ends up as a pretty corny picture. Still, there's no denying that the film has heart and values. At its core, Fireproof is about doing whatever it takes to save a marriage from being dashed on the rocks, and in the right hands, this sort of story could easily resonate with viewers. As tackled by Kendrick, though, reason takes a back seat to making over-the-top statements, such as when Caleb rids himself of an Internet pornography addiction by bashing his computer with a baseball bat (there's a little something called a power button, you know...). 

Kendrick treats his characters more as pawns in an emotional chess game than as actual human beings. Caleb is an impatient oaf, Catherine a frigid ice queen, and watching these two stubborn souls bicker back and forth becomes agonizingly repetitive. Cameron's turn is tolerable at best, but Bethea comes across flat as a pancake, never once conveying any soulfulness or true emotion throughout her performance. The supporting cast boils down to a laundry list of stock characters (the funny fat guy, the wise father figure, etc.).

It's easy to see where Fireproof wants to go, but like  a stubborn dad on vacation, Kendrick refuses to stop and ask for directions. As a result, this schmaltzy film lands at a very unpleasant destination. 

MY RATING: * 1/2 (out of ****)

(Released by Sam Goldwyn Films and rated "PG" for thematic material and some peril.)