Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Mild
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Mild
- breezy
- wholesome
- witty
- family movie night
- lazy sunday
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film harmless and occasionally charming but cheap, derivative, and poorly executed.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The central premise places a rugged firefighter crew in charge of three rambunctious children after a rescue.
The firefighters and children develop a family-like bond while navigating the demands of temporary care.
The film emphasizes overacting, child-driven disorder, and slapstick situations within a kid-focused format.
The rugged firefighter crew must move beyond their hardened public image to care for vulnerable children.
Films like Playing with Fire, and why
The Pacifier
shares a family comedy premise in which an adult professional team is overwhelmed by mischievous children, with broad physical humor and a warm emotional arc
Kindergarten Cop
combines a tough adult action figure with child-care chaos in a kid-oriented comedy built around found-family dynamics
Daddy Day Care
offers a wholesome ensemble family comedy centered on adults learning patience and responsibility while caring for unruly children
Firehouse Dog
uses firefighter characters, broad workplace humor, and a family-friendly rescue premise for accessible comic entertainment
Movie Details
- Director
- Andy Fickman
- Release Date
- 2019-11-08
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (773)
Cast
- John Cena
- Keegan-Michael Key
- John Leguizamo
- Tyler Mane
- Brianna Hildebrand
- Christian Convery
- Finley Rose Slater
- Judy Greer
- Dennis Haysbert
- Daniel Cudmore
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Playing with Fire about?
- A hardened firefighter crew discovers that three unruly children are a more formidable challenge than any emergency call.
- What is Playing with Fire like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Playing with Fire as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Playing with Fire violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Playing with Fire as mild.
- What did critics think of Playing with Fire?
- Critics broadly found the film harmless and occasionally charming but cheap, derivative, and poorly executed.
- Which films are like Playing with Fire?
- Films with a similar feel include The Pacifier, Kindergarten Cop, Daddy Day Care, and Firehouse Dog.
- How long is Playing with Fire?
- Playing with Fire runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch Playing with Fire?
- In United States, Playing with Fire is available to rent or buy from JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home.
