Despite the dizzying helmet-cam fire footage, despite the pounding music, despite the riot of flames in this documentary, you’ll remember the brave Detroit firefighters who struggle to save their city. In the past couple of weeks I’ve read Detroit City Is the Place To Be by Mark Binelli and Charlie LeDuff’s Detroit: An American Autopsy. If anything, Burn tops those two fine books simply because of the intensity and spectacle provided by Tom Putnam and Brenna Sanchez who spent a year embedded with Engine 50 on Detroit’s dangerous east side. You cannot watch this film and not be moved by the heroic efforts of Detroit’s firefighters battling fires in such hellish conditions. GRADE: A
Believe it or not, this film came no closer to my house than a one hour drive. I will see it on DVD though. Everyone I know who saw it loved it. John Gallagher, a friend and a FREEP reporter has a new book on Detroit. We are this year’s fad.
You and Phil will be moved when you watch BURN, Patti. The film really captures the ethos of the Detroit firefighters.
Not sure if it’s available in the UK yet but thanks George, shall seek it out.
Sergio, BURN is well worth seeking out. I’m sure it will be available on DVD and Blu-ray in a few months, too.
Not to downplay the pathos of Detroit and it myriad troubles, but it seems this is the kind of film that could be made in a tough area of any big city, Chicago, L.A., Atlanta, Cincinnati, etc.
You’re exactly right, Rick. BURN could have been filmed in Buffalo or Cleveland just as well.