Review of Backdraft (1991) by Robert E — 23 Feb 2010

Brian McCaffrey's father's a fireman and he was there, as a child, when his father died. When he grew he tried to be a fireman but quit and left town and for a few years tried other jobs. He would eventually return and try to be fireman again. However, he finds himself working under his brother Stephen whom he doesn't exactly have a good relationship with. When Brian gets his picture in the paper and is lauded as a hero when in fact it was a mistake, a politician offers him a job working under the department's arson investigator, Donald Rimgale. It seems that Ringale is working some unusual fires wherein someone is killed. Brian initially refuses but when he has too many confrontations with Stephen, he takes the job. And he gets a lesson on what it means to be a fireman.Ronald: I sent away for the copy of Life magazine. The one with your picture on the front. It's a collectible.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Who's doing this, Ronald?

Ronald: Wrong question. Who isn't? It's not a spark because there's not enough damage. He wouldn't have had any fun. It's not an insurance scam because there isn't any profit.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Do you know who's doing this?

Ronald: Yes.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Then tell me.

Ronald: You want to know who? I want to know if this kid really wanted to be just like his dad.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: I wanted to be him. I wanted to be him more than anything else in the world.

Ronald: And you loved him?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Yeah.

Ronald: And you watched him dance with the animal. You saw your dad burn.

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: Fuck you Ronald. Who's doing this, huh?

Ronald: Did it look at you? Did the fire look at you? It did. Whoa. Wow. Our worlds aren't that far apart after all, are they? So, whoever is doing this knows the animal well, doesn't he? He knows him real well, but he won't let him loose. He won't let him have any fun, so he does not love him. Now who doesn't love fire? And is around trychtichlorate all day long?

Firefighter Brian McCaffrey: [realizes who it might be] Oh my God!

Ronald: See... that wasn't such a long trip after all.