‘Soul on Fire’ Review: Perseverance Is the Name of the Game

In a narrative that centers on facing the unexpected and overcoming self-doubt, “Soul on Fire” — directed by Sean McNamara — tells the incredible real-life story of motivational speaker John O’Leary.

“Soul on Fire” follows a young John (James McCracken) and his journey in recovery from an accident he undergoes at the age of nine. While playing with matches and gasoline in the basement of his home, he sets off an explosion that leads to a house fire. Due to the severity of his resulting burns, John is taken to the hospital, where doctors disclose to his parents, Denny (John Corbett) and Susan (Stephanie Szotak) his estimated chance of survival after surgery: 1%. Susan, unwilling to let her son give up, tells him that he has to fight to live, while Roy (DeVon Franklin), a nurse on the floor, makes it his personal mission to make sure John is able to return to his old life.

The film momentarily steps away from the hospital to a gala in the next scene to introduce the man critical to John’s recovery, Mr. Jack Buck (William H. Macy). A sports commentator for John’s favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals, Mr. Buck happens to hear about the boy’s critical condition from his friends at the event. During a visit to the hospital, Mr. Buck assertively tells John — who is comatose — that he’ll live and, upon recovering, will have a day dedicated to him at the ballpark. The following scene finds an older John (Joel Courtney) in a fraternity house in 1998, alive and well.

Subsequent scenes, which alternate between John’s childhood stay in the hospital and his new life as a college student, provide a closer look at John’s road to recovery. Up to a certain point, the alternating story structure works relatively well. However, the film later suffers from issues with continuity, where new storylines are brought up far too often for viewers to understand their relevance and how they build upon what came before them.

After a strong first 30 minutes, the pacing quickly becomes a problem. With each of the new, short scenes that establish John’s insecurities, love life, and family life, one must glue their attention to the screen to try and piece together what he’s doing or thinking. While the constant jumping between scenes may be intended to do justice to each of the important parts of O’Leary’s story, the progression isn’t as clear as it should be.

Beyond lackluster pacing, Gregory Poirier’s screenwriting is hit or miss. In certain scenes, the script fails to foster an emotional connection between the audience and the film, and line delivery also frequently falls flat. At the beginning of the film, for example, John’s dad leaves a poignant message after his son’s accident: that he loves him, and there’s nothing John can do about it. While the line is critical to the story, Corbett’s delivery sounds too polished for a situation where one’s son has narrowly escaped death and is being rolled into surgery. In another scene, John and his college roommate have a conversation about dating, and while important to O’Leary’s story for several reasons, the script tries too hard to relate to younger audiences with quips that don’t land.

Despite these weak points, one of the redeeming qualities of the film are scenes featuring John and his dad, where Courtney and Corbett do their best to elevate the material and create the space for heartstrings to be pulled. Similarly, Franklin’s portrayal of the caring Nurse Roy makes each time he appears within John’s story a highlight, as he was John’s biggest supporter and the right-hand man that pushed him to persevere during his time in the hospital.

“Soul on Fire,” while advertising itself as a religious film, also doesn’t fully tie in the messaging it seems to want viewers to take away. In a conversation with his father towards the end of the film, John admits that he never understood why Mr. Buck was as kind to him as he was, and that he never deserved the help he was given. For religious viewers, Mr. Buck seems to be a metaphor for the grace and unwavering love of God, yet these faith-based themes are too subtle for a movie that has attempted to draw in audiences in that way. While making the messaging more explicit could make the film more polarizing, it would feel more committed to honoring God, a central theme of the real O’Leary’s life.

Despite its flaws, “Soul on Fire” doesn’t aim to be an award-winning film. It’s great for a casual watch and ultimately sets out to tell the real story of a real man who persevered and overcame the obstacles life threw his way. Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, viewers are invited by the film to feel inspired to tackle what comes next in their lives with a greater appreciation for their unique journeys and the people around them. As John says in the film’s final moments, “the most powerful weapon on Earth is the human soul, on fire” — a reminder that our true goal should be to live a life inspired.

—Staff writer Emily G. Fallas-Chacon can be reached at emily.fallas-chacon@thecrimson.com.