Ladder 49 (Widescreen Edition) | Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta

Ladder 49 (Widescreen Edition) | Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta | ladder 49

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Ladder 49 (Widescr...

	Ladder 49 (Widescreen Edition) Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta Buena Vista Home Entertainment / Touchstone, 2005 average customer review:based on 202 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Jack a baltimore firefighter copes with the risky job that often shortchanges his wife and kids. He relies on the support of his 2nd family - the men of the firehouse. When he becomes trapped in the worst blaze of his career the men of ladder 49 learn that the greatest fight will be saving one of their own. Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Release Date: 05/11/2007 Starring: Joaquin Phoenix Robert Patrick Run time: 115 minutes Rating: Pg13

Next time you see a firefighter say thanks

"Ladder 49" gives those of us who've never stood close to the fire a peek at the lives of those underpaid and overworked civil servants who go out every day -- and may not return.

This is primarily a strong emotional drama about the bond between brothers (and sisters) in the service, not so much an action adventure or disaster film. The story details the career of Jack (Phoenix) as he comes in a rookie Baltimore firefighter, meets his captain (Travolta), loses friends and gains a wife (Barrett).

Joaquin Phoenix is one of the strongest actors of his generation. He can depict more with a gesture or two than many other actors can with an entire soliloquy. When he puts on the coat and the turnout boots, you forget he's an actor and think he's a firefighter in peril.

WARNING: you need a box of tissues next to you while you are watching this film. It will pull on your heart and yes--make you want to thank the next firefighters you see.

Rebecca Kyle, May 2008

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ladder 49

As always I was very pleased with my movie purchase. I will continue to order all my movies from amazon. I always receive my movies in a timely manner.

Thank you amazon, liza schaafsma

Ladder 49

My son actually is the one who loves this movie. He is bound and determined to be a firefighter and uses this movie as his practice guide. He pretty much knows the entire script and calls himself Jack Morrison when he is in the role. Great movie!

Not much of a plot, but worth watching as a family film

I just saw Ladder 49 and I was kind of expecting a grittier more intense film, but this is quite the opposite. Instead, it is an in-depth look at the life of firefighter Jack Morrisson played by Joaquin Phoenix. It's the usual story of struggle to success, to tragedy, and finally one of hope as the credits begin to roll. Ladder 49 is a family film made for all the firefighters out there. It has it's predictable moments as family films tend to have. It has the firefighter who dies in the beginning, another one who gets badly injured, and the hero who sets the tone at the end. It's your typical firefighter genre film that seems a little repetitive and truly does not stand out as a classic film for years to come. As I said, don't expect this to be a gritty film ala Backdraft, but it does have it's moments that put a smile on your face. It's a movie void of a definitive plot, but about the lifespan of what a firefighter might deal with in his career. We are put in the driver's seat of one firefighter as he takes us through when he first arrives at the firehouse, till his ultimate challenge towards the end. And that's really the film in a nutshell.

They could have made a backstory as well(drugs, crooked firefighter) to keep the pace up and intrigue the audience a bit, but I believe the director clearly wanted to make this film about firefighting in general and the rollercoaster of emotions one particular firefighter and those close to him might go through on the job. Overall, it's a good family film with a sad ending that may or may not be suitable for pre-teens or anyone who has lost a relative fighting fires, without giving too much of the ending away.

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