The authentic feeling that these are actual firemen can be credited in large part to the performance of these two leads as well as the rest of the supporting cast. Given his iconic status, Travolta initially seems a bit too much a presence for the role (a concern expressed by the director in the commentary), but that quickly fades away. The same can be said for John Travolta, whose role as Captain Mike Kennedy is smaller than Phoenix's but no less convincing. Joaquin Phoenix plays a bit of an "everyday man" in the part of Jack Morrison, and does so with finesse. The film is both very suspenseful and immensely emotional, causing the viewer to feel for and care about the characters and all that goes on in their worlds. Both the ins and outs of daily life at a firehouse and the struggles and maturation of the protagonist are presented with touching realism. Though it incorporates elements of action, drama, and love, at its heart, Ladder 49 is truly a story about life. The extensive flashbacks, which make up the bulk of the movie, color Jack's current condition with the events that led him there and the family life that awaits him at home. The opening sequence is intense and filled with action, as are many to follow. The result is a dialogue of sorts between the past and present, giving the viewer a unique and fuller perspective. As the film progresses, the setting alternates from these years gone by back to the ongoing attempt to find Jack and save his life. Just before he can get out himself, though, the building caves and he finds himself trapped at the bottom of the complex.įrom this vantage point, the film flashes back through Jack's memory to a time when he was just beginning as a fireman. Upon arriving, Jack learns that someone is trapped on the twelfth floor and rushes to the top of the building where he makes a successful rescue. On a day like any other, the firemen are called to the rescue of a burning highrise. (John Travolta) as a mentor and leader, as have the others on the squad. In the years since he first joined the team, Jack has come to look towards Captain Mike Kennedy Each day, he and his squad brave the perils of firefighting in order to save lives. While the lovely Barrett looks adorable as Jack's doting girlfriend, when she graduates to supportive-but-worried wife the dramatic burden that settles on her petite shoulders overwhelms her abilities.Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) is part of a close brotherhood of firemen in an urban town. A surprisingly toned-down Travolta and an equally surprisingly beefed-up Phoenix are well cast, but the film falters when Jack and Linda's relationship is pushed to the forefront. But too many solid supporting actors are given too little to do, their underwritten characters forgotten as soon as they're off screen. Director Jay Russell does a tremendous job creating vivid, claustrophobic scenes of fiercely burning buildings, and makes an admirable effort to show the camaraderie that unites the firefighters.
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Soon the happy couple are married and starting a family, but as their responsibilities grow, both become ever more aware of the costly risks of his honorable job, a point brought home vividly when a member of Jack's close-knit firehouse family dies in the line of duty. In fact, Dennis's suave ways help Jack work up the courage to talk to Linda (Real World: London alumna Jacinda Barrett), the dream girl he meets at a grocery store. He becomes especially close to thoughtful family man Tommy Drake (Morris Chestnut) and laid-back Dennis Gauquin (Billy Burke), who exaggerates his fire-fighting prowess to impress girls. Jack soon develops a strong bond with Mike and the rest of the hardworking men who fight fires from Engine 33, as well as their companion search-and-rescue squad on Ladder 49. He starts with his first day on the job, when Mike, his new boss and mentor-to-be, welcomed him with an elaborate initiation prank. Mike Kennedy (John Travolta) directs rescue efforts outside, Jack reminisces about the highlights of his career and life. As he tries to battle his way to safety and Capt. After a harrowing, valiant effort to save a civilian from a blazing warehouse, Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix) finds himself trapped inside the crumbling cement building, fighting for his life. Though handsomely mounted and efficiently staged, this mass of firefighter cliches swings wildly between heartstring-tugging melodrama, testosterone-fueled action and buddy comedy, weighed down by too many predictable twists and storytelling contrivances, starting with the fact that it unfolds almost entirely in flashback.