Using the cinema with sincerity and desire to talk about yourself with a bit 'of catharsis. Richard Bates Jr. puts on a personal level this movie, which arrives (just like the predecessor "Suburban Gothic"), after a period of crisis.
A work once again very intimates whose characters reflect his conflicts. His past, his ghosts and the desire/hope of solving them. Somehow.
The result looks very good at first impact, because there is a good photography, there's black humor and very charming and mysterious appearance. Added to that arrives the criticism about the rigid education as and the religious fundamentalism reference and the reference to the great classics of thriller.
 
A fast start that high holds the attention, tells the story of Owen. He, played by Adrian Grenier Nate of "The Devil Wears Prada", has several problems. With life in general first of all, with sex, with his girlfriend and also with his family of origin. He tries to find a balance with Isabelle (Angela Trimbur), his pregnant girlfriend, who asks him to know his family. The one with which Owen seems to have some unfinished problems.
Grandma Violet (Fionnula Flanagan) and sister Pearl are the only two relatives remained alive after his parents died in a horrific fire that disfigured Pearl. Let us a small digression, because there is a big mistake in the roles. Pearl is played by the beautiful AnnaLynne McCord (already in "Excision" by Bates), but we see her with heavy make-up that hides her beauty. She's very good in this role, and at the end is what counts. Even the parents of the two brothers were a bit 'special. The father was a fervent believer, the mother (so somebody says) believed more in sex than in another.
When Owen and Isabel go there the situation explodes. Or rather not explode. In the sense that the idea of ​​Bates remains trapped in a predictable story that quotes and almost copy dynamics and structures by the thriller masterpieces. Shades horror, moments of suspense not so exciting. But luckily there is a surprising ending that straightens a little 'the situation.
Returning to Violet, she is religious integralist, Pearl is a lesbian and has to suffer the advances of the local priest whose grandmother gives free rein. She lives most segregated in the house.
Owen instead has a big guilt complex and the dear grandmother would like to kill him.
We must say that all the characters are well played and perform their function, also helped by the good direction by Bates. But there is a sense of incompleteness, with the fire of the title that doesn’t blazes up, but remains a placid little fire.

There is even who among the jailers, helps the girls to escape which in this case is the camp doctor, who drinks for the shame to work there.
A film not new and really bad but after all looks good in the midst of so many others movie like it.
The cast includes well-known names of genre cinema. The leader of women's brigade is Ajita Wilson while sympathetic doctor is played by Anthony Steffen. The villain is good Luciano Pigozzi and the rest of the female battery is notable for the presence of Cristina Lay and especially for Cintia Lodetti, already (very) appreciated in "Le porno killers" and then, unfortunately, soon disappeared from the world of cinema.