Beyond The Fire (2009)

11% of critics liked it
(9 reviews)
0% want to see it
(6 ratings)

BEYOND THE FIRE tells the story of Sheamy, a gentle Irish ex-priest who arrives in London to find his old family friend and mentor Father Brendan. After an unsuccessful search Sheamy reaches out to the only other person he knows in London, Rory. Rory, a talented musician and band member, takes… More BEYOND THE FIRE tells the story of Sheamy, a gentle Irish ex-priest who arrives in London to find his old family friend and mentor Father Brendan. After an unsuccessful search Sheamy reaches out to the only other person he knows in London, Rory. Rory, a talented musician and band member, takes Sheamy under his wing and introduces him to his flatmate Katie. Immediately, the attraction is undeniable between Sheamy and Katie. However, Katie is a warm hearted woman with her own emotional scars. Their intense romance is short-lived and begins to collapse when the past comes back to haunt them.

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 20 min.
Directed By: Maeve Murphy
Genres: Art House & International, Romance

Studio: Playing With Fire

Critic Reviews

Tim Robey, Empire Magazine
It's frightfully sincere and the sex scenes are a whole new level of unconvincing.
David Jenkins, Time Out
As well-intentioned as it is deathly dull, this moody, London-set indie attempts to fuse a sprawling, right-on social agenda with a tenderly wrought mismatched romance and doesn't manage to say anything interesting about either.
Catherine Bray, Film4
Quite simply one of the more embarrassing films we've ever seen, Beyond The Fire is bad in a way that only a film aspiring to deal with a serious, sensitive subject and falling flat on its face can be.
Ed Potton, Times [UK]
The acting, script and production values rarely rise above film-school level and, once she has drawn him some anatomical diagrams (really!), the bedroom scenes are just awful.
Peter Bradshaw, Guardian [UK]
This is high-stakes drama, bordering on realist melodrama. There are some awkward moments. Yet its heartfelt, unironic belief in the power of love is attractive.
Elliott Noble, Sky Movies
Loathe to say it, but even after the closing stats about rape and the amount of compensation paid out by the Vatican, Beyond The Fire has little more resonance than a Madonna video.
Kevin Harley, Total Film
Sin, sexual abuse, erotic salvation... Director Maeve Murphy's thick stew is worthy but heavy like a sledgehammer.
Anthony Quinn, Independent
The film's message of "healing" couldn't be more sincere, but it can't cover for the awkward staging, cheap lighting and stilted script.
Allan Hunter, Daily Express
Beyond the Fire is a well-intentioned but plodding attempt to address the trauma of sexual abuse.

Read all 9 critic reviews

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