The Substance Of Fire Critic Reviews

The film, directed by Daniel Sullivan, is brave, I think, to offer us a complicated scenario without an easy moral compass.Read the full review

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 the full review

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 the full review

The whole thing plays like some dreadful masochistic, self-pity fantasy.Read the full review

But what presumably was powerful in Jon Robin Baitz's play has been diluted in opening it up for the screen.Read the full review

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 the full review

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 the full review