Les flammes du passé

I just finished watching this film, I did find the film to be quite routine yet still watchable.

It is obviously made for TV and the budget shows, some of the fire effects are cheap, and the acting is serviceable. I have to say though I did find Alicia Witt quite engaging in the lead role (I don't recall seeing her before other than in Urban Legend), I thought her performance was okay and I liked the voice-over in the beginning of the film too. Scott Bakula gives his usual type of performance and the other actors are adequate.

All in all a decent movie to pass the time on TV, but would not recommend buying it.

The first two adaptations (Angels Fall and Montana Sky) were disappointing for someone who read the books. I was actually pleased by Blue Smoke.

They did a good job of adapting a complex book down to a short movie. The flashbacks were a great way of letting us understand Reena's history and her current emotional state. Of course, they changed some of the details, but those changes didn't bother me, and worked well for the movie. And I think they did a good job of casting for this one - Alicia Witt and Scott Bakula were very good.

The only complaint I have is that due to the short time constraint, they were not able to really focus as much on the relationship with Bo, so the chemistry wasn't as strong as it could have been. Matthew Settle is very cute, but we didn't really get to know his character.

That said, I enjoyed it.

I think the movies might work better if you haven't read the books first. I'm not entirely displeased with the movies, particularly "Blue Smoke", but they are so limited in what they can do within the time constraints of the film. This was a complicated book, with the usual terrific characterizations.

I think the weakest part of "Blue Smoke" was the lack of time to develop the family dynamics.

Scott Bakula is wonderful in the part of the senior investigator. I've always loved him, but he shines in this part. Frankly, he's the guy I would go for.

Witt does an adequate job as the heroine. Overall, I would say that the movie would make a good afternoon's entertainment, but you would be better served by getting the original book and diving in.

Here's hoping this year's Nora Roberts selection of films will be even better.

And if the Eve Dallas books are ever filmed by owner Mel Gibson, I hope they consider Mariska Hargarty in mind for the lead role.

Catarina 'Reena' Hale (Alicia Witt) is working towards being a fire investigator. She's been obsessed with fire ever since her family bar burned up when she was young. John Minger (Scott Bakula) is her mentor since that fateful day. The angry father of the neighborhood bully was arrested. At college, she's taken with boyfriend Josh Bolton but he dies in a fire. Her next boyfriend Hugh is killed in an explosion with a ring in his pocket. She moves into a house next to eager Bo Goodnight who professes his love. She gets a call from her stalker hinting at the previous incidents. She fears the next target will be Bo.

It's a slow but functional TV thriller. It needs much better style to intensify the story. Witt is capable but she doesn't get much of a chance. The fire story allows for some explosions but they're not particularly impressive or thrilling. It may be OK for a crime TV drama but it's a bit stretched out.

I like Nora Roberts' books, but this movie was terrible. The main character is so very unrealistic, but since I didn't read the book, I don't know if this is just an awful book made into a movie or it's just the movie.

The story is very predictable. The main character is so cheesy, so depressed and brooding, suspicious of everything and then suddenly happy-go-lucky, not a care in the world. She refers to herself as a cop, but then plays the part of an arson investigator with the fire department.

In my opinion, this movie would be great for someone who loves to watch made-for-TV movies, or the typical Lifetime original movie. Otherwise, don't waste your time.