The Substance of Fire
The Substance of Fire Image
Metascore
54 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 15 Critics What's this?

User Score
tbd

No user score yet- Be the first to review!

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • Summary: Ron Rifkin plays a headstrong book publisher who refuses to "sell out" by releasing anything commercial, even when his business partner and son (Goldwyn) discovers a sure-fire best-seller. As the father's stubbornness pushes their company to the brink of bankruptcy, the son must convince his brother and sister (Hutton and Parker) to join him in a fight that will save the business, but may destroy their family. (BV Entertainment)… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    75
    The film, directed by Daniel Sullivan, is brave, I think, to offer us a complicated scenario without an easy moral compass.
  2. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: John Anderson
    60
    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.
  3. San Francisco Examiner
    Reviewed by: Barbara Shulgasser
    50
    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.
  4. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Edward Guthmann
    50
    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.

See all 15 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review

Current Movie Releases

Full List »
  1. Star Trek Into Darkness
    Metascore: 72
  2. Iron Man 3
    Metascore: 62
  3. 42
    Metascore: 62
  4. Fast & Furious 6
    Metascore: 61
  5. Evil Dead (2013)
    Metascore: 57
  6. The Great Gatsby
    Metascore: 54
  7. Oblivion
    Metascore: 54
  8. Pain & Gain
    Metascore: 43
  9. G.I. Joe: Retaliation
    Metascore: 41
  10. The Host
    Metascore: 35
  11. The Hangover Part III
    Metascore: 31
  12. Tyler Perry's Temptation
    Metascore: 27
  13. Scary Movie 5
    Metascore: 11
All Current Movies »