Fireproof is one of the best romance-ish love books I’ve read. Eric Wilson’s book, a novelization of the movie but expanded, seems like an attempt to address a major issue in marriages: it isn’t just a fluffy fantasy, but a choice that takes work and devotion. And the plot is majorly based on The Love Dare, a book challenging spouses to understand and practice unconditional love.
Caleb and Catherine Holt, who believe their marriage started great, feel they are drifting apart. They have begun living around each other and not with each other. They both expect effort from the other while believing they themselves are doing enough. Caleb, especially, believes he deserves more respect and effort, while Catherine is heartbroken and wondering when she stopped being good enough for him.
Caleb’s father learns of the state of his marriage and imminent divorce and challenges him to commit to a forty-day love dare. At first, Caleb does it begrudgingly and only because his father asked. As he goes through the challenge, with support from his father, he discovers how selfish he was and how little he really loved Catherine. Later he realizes this for his relationship with his mother too.
Catherine first took his actions as a trick to soften her and take more in their divorce. As time goes by he takes big steps that show Catherine his sincerity; he uses the money he has been saving for his boat and pays for Catherine’s parents’ medical equipment bills of twelve thousand, I think, without telling her (but she founds out), and destroys the computer he had been watching pornography on to remove the source of temptation.
Well, you should watch, is the point. By the end, they reaffirm their vows to each other and commit to living a life full of unconditional love toward the other. It is one of only a handful of movies that have ever made me cry. It is a strikingly relevant movie for many of the problems in marriages. I’ve seen this exact situation play out in my parents’ marriage, except it didn’t end like the movie… And in the marriages and relationships of my close family. I see the story as a good example of how a marriage can be. Not identical by any means, but that unconditional love and thoughtfulness towards your partner.
Despite its potential “corniness” from predictability, it is a worthwhile movie to see. Though I suggest reading the book first, it covers more and in deeper detail, and then watch the movie for a visualization of the book. Though I described the story, it doesn’t “spoil” the story, it is just one of those you need to read for yourself, plus, I left out a lot…
