Ladder 49 (2004)

"...a good, honest cry.  Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
"What an exciting powerful film - a terrific movie!  Larry King
"...awesome flames and pyrotechnic scenes of crisis...  Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly

Editor's Note Joaquin Phoenix is great in this saga of Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison, whose life starts flashing before his eyes when he becomes trapped in a blazing high rise. Flashbacks chronicle his memories of being a rookie at his Baltimore fire company. He remembers fighting his first fire, bonding with fellow firefighters, falling in love with a beautiful local girl (Jacinda Barrett), getting married, and having children. He also looks back on forming a close relationship with the fire chief (John Travolta) and learning to face the danger and heroics of life on the job. This film manages to wring plenty of well-earned tears from its subject matter--as well as spine-tingling thrills--which are the result of solid performances, characterization, and good naturalistic dialogue from screenwriter Lewis Colick. Barrett is great as Jack's worried wife; she and Phoenix exhibit strong, earthy chemistry in their scenes together. Travolta makes a fine fire captain who is graceful, sure of himself, and always ready to give up the spotlight to the younger actors. Other firemen include Morris Chestnut, Balthazar Getty, and Robert Patrick. The addition of a soundtrack of contemporary Irish and Irish-American folk and rock keeps the melancholia just a whisper away. The heroics of 9/11 are subtly honored here, but never directly mentioned, which is to the film's credit.

	Jacinda Barrett
	Joaquin Phoenix
	John Travolta
	Robert Patrick
	Bud Smith - Editor
	Casey Silver - Producer
	James Carter - Cinematographer
	Jay Russell - Director
	Lewis Colick - Writer
	Marty Ewing - Executive Producer
	Renee Kalfus - Costume Designer
	Tony Burrough - Production Designer
	William Ross - Original Music By

Entertainment Weekly
"The movie is a quiet salute; it does its job....And it's got quiet, sturdy performances to match." 10/08/2004 p.90

Los Angeles Times
"As a loving tribute to the courage and sacrifice of firefighters, it's first-class." 10/01/2004 p.E8

Chicago Sun-Times
"[An] uncommonly effective film..." 03/04/2005 p.12

James Berardinelli's ReelViews 6 of 10
There's nothing daring about it, but it offers a solid emotional core and there is a touching payoff. The movie's drama is a little on the soggy side, and that's what keeps me from giving a hearty recommendation. Few who see it will regret the experience, but this isn't the sort of movie that cries out to be seen. As diversions go, it's mostly pleasant, and I suppose there's nothing terribly wrong with that.

New York Daily News 8 of 10
There's a lot of flashy acting going, notably by Travolta, who has not been more engaging on-screen in a decade, and by newcomer Barrett, a willowy Aussie who, as a woman living with the specter of death, gives the film's most complete performance. - Jack Mathews

Chicago Sun-Times 9 of 10
Phoenix, Travolta, Barrett and the others are given characters with dimension, so that what happens depends on their decisions, not on the plot. As I said, I was surprisingly affected by the film. After I left the screening, I walked a while by the river, and sat and thought, and was happy not to have anything that had to be done right away. - Roger Ebert