This is both a review of the movie and a review of the reviewers here. First, and most importantly, the movie. One Christmas Eve is a fun, funny, charming, warm hearted movie about a group of diverse people who form a family on a crazy Planes, Trains and Automobiles Christmas Eve where everything that can go wrong, does. The moral of the story defines the spirit of the holiday and those who don't understand that, must not understand the Christmas Spirit itself. And that brings me to my next point. The bizarre, angry reviews I see on here aren't just common trolls, but seem to have some other agenda going on. Is it a Hate Anne Heche Club? Is it the multicultural cast and these Hallmark viewers want all their Christmases to be white, white, white? But what is clear to anyone who might watch this movie, and it is most definitely a movie worth seeing - and a movie impossible to get angry at. The sort of anger being posted here is more what one might find at a political rally as opposed to discussing an innocent, hilarious, good hearted TV show. The movie, I give a 10 out of 10. These crackpots on display here, I give a big fat zero if that was an option.
Reviews
2 Reviews
Ladder 49
(2004)
Awesome!
6 September 2004
I saw a preview last week of Ladder 49 and felt compelled to write this review. Not only is it one of the best movies I've seen in a long long time, as a 25 year veteran firefighter, it is without question the best movie about firefighting that's ever been made.
I'm not going to go into details about the story because that is the fun of watching this movie, but in short it is about a young firefighter named Jack Morrison played by Joaquin Phoenix who could be any young firefighter in any city. During the course of the story he faces what we all face -- birth, death, happiness, tragedy.
Ladder 49 also captures the reality of what we as firefighters experience every day. The danger is illustrated with spectacular and exciting action scenes and again with more realism than I've ever seen in any movie. It also captures the humor of the firehouse, the camaraderie and the true struggles the families of firefighters must face. It captures the essence of the fire service, the two families they live with. At the firehouse and at home.
When faced with a life and death battle to save Jack when he gets caught in the ultimate situation, his brother firefighters show the fierce courage of never giving up. It reminded me of Black Hawk Down in that way. And again, it's absolutely true! The film's slogan, "A bond forged by fire cannot be unbroken", is appropriate.
All of the acting is top notch -- Travolta and all of the supporting characters clearly did their homework for their parts. They don't just look like firemen, they do their jobs like firemen. The actress who played Phoenix's wife also captured the conflict of what it is to be the spouse of a firefighter. She wants him to be happy and do what he loves to do, but she also wants him to come home alive to be her husband and father of their children. This is dramatic and this is real!
Since 9-11 we've been looking for a way to come to terms with our feelings about what we do. Ladder 49 captures the real human side of the work we do. Similar to the twists and turns of a tiller, you are left on the edge of your seat, every emotion exposed. You will laugh, cry and at the end you will want to stand up and cheer.
And I should say, this is not just a movie for firefighters, it's a movie for everyone. I believe your experience will be much like mine. I felt as though I just relived 25 years of my fire service career and I have never been more proud to be a firefighter.
If someone says "it's no Backdraft" they're damn right! It's bigger, it's better and most importantly, it's true.
I'm not going to go into details about the story because that is the fun of watching this movie, but in short it is about a young firefighter named Jack Morrison played by Joaquin Phoenix who could be any young firefighter in any city. During the course of the story he faces what we all face -- birth, death, happiness, tragedy.
Ladder 49 also captures the reality of what we as firefighters experience every day. The danger is illustrated with spectacular and exciting action scenes and again with more realism than I've ever seen in any movie. It also captures the humor of the firehouse, the camaraderie and the true struggles the families of firefighters must face. It captures the essence of the fire service, the two families they live with. At the firehouse and at home.
When faced with a life and death battle to save Jack when he gets caught in the ultimate situation, his brother firefighters show the fierce courage of never giving up. It reminded me of Black Hawk Down in that way. And again, it's absolutely true! The film's slogan, "A bond forged by fire cannot be unbroken", is appropriate.
All of the acting is top notch -- Travolta and all of the supporting characters clearly did their homework for their parts. They don't just look like firemen, they do their jobs like firemen. The actress who played Phoenix's wife also captured the conflict of what it is to be the spouse of a firefighter. She wants him to be happy and do what he loves to do, but she also wants him to come home alive to be her husband and father of their children. This is dramatic and this is real!
Since 9-11 we've been looking for a way to come to terms with our feelings about what we do. Ladder 49 captures the real human side of the work we do. Similar to the twists and turns of a tiller, you are left on the edge of your seat, every emotion exposed. You will laugh, cry and at the end you will want to stand up and cheer.
And I should say, this is not just a movie for firefighters, it's a movie for everyone. I believe your experience will be much like mine. I felt as though I just relived 25 years of my fire service career and I have never been more proud to be a firefighter.
If someone says "it's no Backdraft" they're damn right! It's bigger, it's better and most importantly, it's true.
Tell Your Friends