The Substance of Fire
Miramax Films | Release Date: March 14, 1997 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
54
METASCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews
Positive:
6
Mixed:
9
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The film, directed by Daniel Sullivan, is brave, I think, to offer us a complicated scenario without an easy moral compass. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
This sensitive, sometimes troubling family drama is one of the rare movies dealing with intelligent adults tackling lifelike problems. Read full review
70
The New York TimesStephen Holden
The film, to its credit, never tries to pluck your heartstrings. As it follows the Geldharts around New York, they are figures in a meditative dialogue on human values that reaches no easy conclusions. Read full review
70
TimeRichard Corliss
In an era when films reduce the aged to comic cranks, Rifkin is heroic--the Lear of grumpy old men. Read full review
63
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
Consequently, your reaction to the film will pretty much hinge on your opinion of the play. Ho-hum is my humble verdict. Read full review
63
TV Guide MagazineStaff(not credited)
Daniel Sullivan's earnest adaptation of Jon Robin Baitz's play is worth seeing for Ron Rifkin's performance alone. Read full review
60
Los Angeles TimesJohn Anderson
But as Isaac, Rifkin is simply transcendent, giving what is the most accomplished performance of the year. He does not, however, have a completely successful movie around him. Read full review
50
Austin ChronicleRobert Faires
The screen version feels like a rewrite made to make the tale more palatable to the "mindless moviegoing masses," which prompts the question: Is the film a truer vision of Baitz's tale of an uncompromising man or a version in which the truer vision was compromised? Read full review
50
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
Aside from a powerful performance by Ron Rifkin (reprising his stage role) and a few quietly effective scenes, there's not much reason to subject yourself to a film this off-putting. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
First-time film director Sullivan draws good performances from Goldwyn, Hutton and Parker, as well as Debra Monk, Elizabeth Franz and Eric Bogosian in minor roles. Read full review
50
San Francisco ExaminerBarbara Shulgasser
In the case of Jon Robin Baitz's script, adapted from his play, in spite of the fact that he made considerable alterations in the text to open it up to cinematic possibilities, the movie disappoints in much the same way the play did. Read full review
50
Washington PostLloyd Rose
The whole thing plays like some dreadful masochistic, self-pity fantasy. Read full review
50
VarietyLisa Nesselson
But what presumably was powerful in Jon Robin Baitz's play has been diluted in opening it up for the screen. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyDenise Lanctot
Rifkin's descent into madness is Shakespearean in scope, but the rest (except Parker) are precious. Fire? Duraflame. [18Jul1997 Pg.90]
40
Chicago ReaderJonathan Rosenbaum
But despite a compelling opening, as a movie it loses focus and purpose as it proceeds. Read full review
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