By Melissa Antoinette Garza
I first saw FIRE WITH FIRE (1986) when I was around ten years old. To this day, I still love it. It’s nothing spectacular or mind-blowing, but it’s a fun tale of forbidden love. For nostalgia alone, it belongs on my list of obsessions. That said, it certainly isn’t a movie for everyone. It’s silly and a nice way to kill a weekend afternoon.
FIRE WITH FIRE (1986) opens with reform school student Joe Fisk (Craig Sheffer) taking a shortcut thru the woods during a game. He is warned by the boss (Jon Polito) not to try and run off. There he spots a girl (Virginia Madsen) photographing herself in a lake.
Later during a field trip outing to the movies, Joe spots the same girl Lisa (Virginia Madsen). Lisa is a live-in student at the Catholic School. Her parents travel the world. She obtains the best grades and is even granted a scholarship to Switzerland. She doesn’t care about of any of it. Upon seeing Joe at the theater, she is immediately taken. She decides to organize a school dance between her school and the troubled boy’s school.
The dance is approved but strict guidelines are enforced. Joe and Lisa become closer and exchange phone numbers. For the next few weeks, they sneak around to meet and call one another. When they are eventually caught after making love and forbidden to see one another, the two run away. Reform school boss takes it as a personal slight and makes it his mission to bring them back by any means necessary.
The boss acts like Brian Dennehy in FIRST BLOOD (1982). He is a nutjob, hellbent on destroying the kids that he’s hired to protect.
This is a teenage romance film done right. TWILIGHT (2008) series take notes. Here we have two people who are from completely different worlds yet linked by dysfunctional parents and institutions with ridiculous rules and doctrine.
Sheffer is fantastic as the lead protagonist. The sins of his past are understood and only make him a more sympathetic dark hero.
Madsen is sensational as the good-girl who will do anything for love. Madsen conveys Lisa’s loyalty and devotion to Joe in a sensational way. She isn’t just a dame along for the ride. She’s a 50/50 participant ready to risk the rapids to be with him.
Lastly, Polito is fantastic as the villain. He’s over-the-top, furious and someone the viewers hate instantaneously. He’s campy and crazy, but Polito sells the dark determination marvelously.
Watch this one on YOUTUBE or purchase it on any of the streaming channels.
Scared Stiff Rating: 6.5/10
