Jack Morrison (Joaquin Phoenix), a rookie fireman in Baltimore’s Ladder Company # 49, reports for duty and has his chain pulled big time by station Chief Kennedy (John Travolta), who begins the orientation by offering Jack a drink. And when he stands up to introduce Jack to the other guys, his Joe Boxers are showing.

The camaraderie is apparent and Jack settles into the family of firemen at the house. Practical jokes and laughter are punctuated by the blare of the alarm and the call to very hazardous duty. Jack marries Linda (Jacinda Barrett) and they are soon the parents of two young children. If their relationship is to survive her concerns about his safety, she must learn to be able to see him go to heroic lengths to rescue a person on the TV news and act as if nothing special has happened as they sit down for dinner that night. It’s just another day at the office.

After saving the life of an occupant of a burning building, in a major fire, Jack is trapped as the building collapses. Chief Kennedy sends in a team to get him out but it’s not looking good. While trapped in the building, Jack has flashbacks of his life as a fireman, both on and off the job.

Morris Chestnut and Jay Hernandez deliver strong supporting performances, along with many others in the cast. Some very funny moments are delivered that elevate the quality of the film. One is a bar scene between Jacinda Barrett and Chestnut and another by Hernandez during his rookie orientation.

"Ladder 49" truly illustrates the perspective we everyday people have as we run out of a burning building, while the firefighters are running in. We even glimpse the brotherhood these selfless human beings must feel. It may give a hint to the real life social, cultural and psychological phenomenon present that allows some of the widows of firemen killed on 9/11 to now have love relationships with the friends of their fallen husbands, who also were married. "Ladder 49" is much more than your routine action flick, yet it remains very entertaining.