We often ask where God is during tragedy. Stories where faith endures and thrives in the fire can feel like a drink of cool water. This film explores how personal loss can create an unexpected life’s work.
What Is Soul On Fire About?
In 1987, nine-year-old John O’Leary plays with gasoline and matches and mimics older boys in his neighborhood. A sudden explosion consumes his family’s garage, and it sends him flying and covers his body in burns.
Rushed to the hospital, doctors give him a one percent chance of survival. ‘Soul On Fire’ documents his unbelievable recovery process.
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The film depicts his five-month hospital stay, filled with dozens of surgeries and followed by years of difficult physical therapy. The accident leaves him with disfiguring scars and the loss of his fingers.
Beyond the physical pain, John grapples with feelings of shame, despair, and the belief that his life is ruined before it has begun. His dedicated family and a caring community hold him up throughout this challenge.
He also receives unexpected encouragement from his idol, Baseball Hall of Fame announcer Jack Buck, played by William H. Macy. Buck sends autographed baseballs and letters and even visits John personally.
This support, combined with his family’s love, provides the foundation for his physical survival. The story follows his path from a near-fatal accident to becoming a man whose life inspires people around the world.
More Than Survival: A Story of Grace and Calling
‘Soul On Fire’ pushes past the physical drama to explore the spiritual dynamics of suffering and purpose. The film argues that God’s grace is revealed most clearly in how we respond to pain.
This theme appears powerfully when John’s mother puts a choice before him in the hospital: ‘John, do you want to die? It’s your choice.’ This moment is the story’s spiritual heartbeat.
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It reframes his struggle from one of passive endurance to an active decision to embrace the life God gave him. By choosing to live, John accepts his broken body as part of a larger story God is writing.
The film presents a clear biblical picture of community. The support from his family and the unexpected kindness from announcer Jack Buck are not just nice plot points; they are tangible examples of God’s people expressing His love.
As O’Leary himself has stated, his story is about ‘community, prayer, God, hope.’ This reflects the New Testament command to bear one another’s burdens, showing the church in action as the hands and feet of Jesus to the hurting.
The film argues that suffering, when a person surrenders it to God, is never wasted. It becomes the very foundation for a unique calling. His experience suggests that our greatest ministry can often grow from our most painful wounds.
From the Ashes: Finding Your Own Fire
This film moves beyond inspiration to provide clear, practical lessons for our own lives. It challenges us to look at our trials through a different lens.
One powerful takeaway is the importance of our own will in overcoming adversity. When John is at his lowest point in the hospital, his mother doesn’t offer false comfort.
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Instead, she empowers him by asking if he wants to live. This makes it his decision.
This scene teaches us that while we can’t always control our circumstances, we can control our response. We have a choice to either surrender to despair or to fight for the life God has given us, no matter how broken it may seem.
Another key lesson is the powerful impact of encouragement. Baseball announcer Jack Buck had no obligation to help a young boy he didn’t know.
Yet, his simple acts of sending autographed baseballs, writing letters, and making a personal visit provided a lifeline of hope. This reminds us that we don’t need a grand platform to make a difference.
A small gesture of kindness or a word of support can be the very thing someone needs to keep going. Buck’s actions weren’t a one-time event; they were a continued presence.
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This steady support demonstrates how persistent, small acts of love compound over time, creating a powerful force for healing and hope. The film calls us to be a ‘Jack Buck’ in someone else’s life today.
Buzz Builds for a Story of Hope
Anticipation is building for ‘Soul On Fire,’ and for good reason. The film comes from AFFIRM Films, the Sony Pictures label behind beloved faith-based hits like ‘War Room’ and ‘Miracles from Heaven.’
This association alone signals to audiences that they can expect a well-made production with a strong message of faith. Director Sean McNamara, known for ‘Soul Surfer’ and ‘Reagan,’ has expressed his passion for the project, calling John O’Leary a ‘walking miracle’ whose story he can’t wait to share with the world.
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The casting has also generated excitement, with respected actor William H. Macy playing Jack Buck, alongside John Corbett and ‘Jesus Revolution’ star Joel Courtney as John O’Leary.
Macy brings award-winning gravitas to his role, while Courtney’s success in ‘Jesus Revolution’ makes him a familiar and welcome face for the film’s target audience. The fact that the film is based on O’Leary’s No. 1 bestselling book, ‘On Fire,’ means it already has a built-in audience eager to see this powerful story on the big screen.
Rich Peluso, head of AFFIRM Films, noted they had followed the story for years and ‘jumped in’ when the opportunity arose, confident that its life-changing elements will connect with viewers.
Filming on Hallowed Ground
To bring an extra layer of authenticity to the film, the production team shot ‘Soul On Fire’ in John O’Leary’s hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The crew filmed many scenes in the exact locations where the real-life events occurred, and this added a powerful sense of place to the story.
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Interestingly, filming began in November 2023, right in the middle of the SAG-AFTRA strike. The production was granted a special interim agreement, and this allowed the cast and crew to move forward with making this inspirational movie.
John O’Leary himself also served as an executive producer.
A Must-See for the Whole Family?
‘Soul On Fire’ is shaping up to be a powerful and moving film that delivers a clear message of hope without being preachy. It’s a story of faith, family, and the strength of the human spirit when surrendered to God.
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I recommend this film for families with teens and older children, as well as anyone needing a reminder that God can bring purpose from pain.
The film portrays a traumatic event. It shows the accident and its consequences, including life-altering injuries.
The film avoids graphic visuals, but the depiction of injuries and the story’s weight may be too intense for young or sensitive viewers. The themes of near-death and physical suffering are central to the plot.
Outside of this thematic intensity, the film should be clean and free of language or other mature content.
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Jack Buck’s encouragement was a turning point in John’s life. Who has been a ‘Jack Buck’ for you during a difficult time?
Share a story in the comments below about a small act of kindness that made a big difference.
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