The Substance of Fire

A film review by Christopher Null - Copyright © 2001 Filmcritic.com

"The substance of fire," apparently, is the printed word, in this play-adapted work about a man who is slowly ripping apart his publishing house, and his family to boot. Ron Rifkin appears in a rare -- perhaps unprecedented -- starring role, while Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Hutton, and Sarah Jessica Parker play the kiddies. Be warned this one's largely a melancholy exercise for drama students, but some nice performances help cut through the gooey histrionics to make the film somewhat worthwhile.

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Rating

3.0 out of 5 Stars

Cast and Crew

  • Director: Daniel J. Sullivan
  • Producer: Jon Robin Baitz, Randy Finch, Ron Kastner
  • Screenwriter: Jon Robin Baitz
  • Stars: Ron Rifkin, Lee Grant, Tony Goldwyn, Elizabeth Franz, Gil Bellows, Eric Bogosian, Ronny Graham, Timothy Hutton, Sarah Jessica Parker, John Patrick Walker, Roger Rees
  • MPAA Rating: R