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Ladder 49

2004

Jay Russell

Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jacinda Barrett, Morris Chestnut ...

5.7

7,558

Action. Drama Jack (Joaquin Phoenix) is a firefighter who awaits rescue from a burning building. There, he reflects on his career, wife and family. John Travolta will play Kennedy, Jack's captain who is made fire chief. He sees his firehouse, which includes rookie Jack, as a tight-knit family.

	Author	Review
United States	Kirk Honeycutt The Hollywood Reporter	"The film is less of a drama than a tribute -- an ode, even -- to the spirit and tenacity of firefighters. Its makers hardly bother to explore the lives or motives behind their actions."	NEU
United States	Chris Kaltenbach Baltimore Sun	"Celebrates heroes without turning them into saints"	POS
United States	J.R. Jones Chicago Reader	"This drama about Baltimore firefighters makes a serious effort to honor the sacrifices of professional rescue workers, but blasts of hokum keep threatening to collapse the building."	NEG
United States	Carrie Rickey Philadelphia Inquirer	"Fails as drama but succeeds as a 'When bad things happen to good firemen' procedural."	NEU
United States	Stephanie Zacharek Salon	"Might have been an oversized Hollywood dazzler. Phoenix keeps it firmly and modestly on a human scale."	POS
United States	Ty Burr Boston Globe	"Predictable, square, and honorable all at once."	POS
United States	Lisa Schwarzbaum Entertainment Weekly	"Aside from the awesome flames and pyrotechnic scenes of crisis, danger, and part-of-the-job bravery, the movie is a quiet salute; it does its job."	POS

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