A Pyromaniac's Love Story

Play trailer

A Pyromaniac's Love Story

PG

Released Apr 28, 1995

1h 34m

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

0%

Tomatometer

11 Reviews

54%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Sweet-natured bakery employee Sergio (John Leguizamo) is in love with a tough-cookie waitress, Hattie (Sadie Frost), who won't go out with him because of his minimal income. When the bakery burns down, Sergio receives a strange offer from an unknown man: confess to arson and get $25,000. His boss, Mr. Linzer (Armin Mueller-Stahl), also confesses to the crime, but when the real arsonist (William Baldwin) appears, Hattie finds herself attracted to the mysterious stranger.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Gene Siskel

Chicago Tribune

The cast is fine, the direction fluid, but the story wears you down.

Rated: 2.5/4

Aug 16, 2017

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: D

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

A Pyromaniac's Love Story starts out like a lighthearted charmer, and then it goes on and on and on -- circling the same plot idea so doggedly that I began to wonder idly what it might have been like as a short subject.

Rated: 2/4

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

EmanuelLevy.Com

Rated: 2/5

Aug 12, 2005

Full Review

Thomas Delapa

Boulder Weekly

Rated: 0/5

Apr 22, 2004

Full Review

Dragan Antulov

rec.arts.movies.reviews

Rated: 2/10

Feb 19, 2004

Full Review

Read all reviews

Heather M

Honestly best movie i've seen in a long time. They really don't make movies like this anymore. I have always had pyromaniac tendencies and i have never felt more seen. 10/10!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Sorry, but I gotta defend this. It was kinda cute for its time. Seems like the entire cast had some quirk or other and it was fun putting all the pieces together. It was not the wasted effort the rating seems to indicate.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Funny from start to finish.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/03/23

Full Review

Audience Member

it's. a fucking. bad ass movie

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/16/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A PYROMANIAC'S LOVE STORY, what appears to be a Made-for-TV presentation, is a weird experience. I should have been forewarned when I heard the goofy music. Generally, for me, goofy music means goofy movie! Plus, in this one, the story combines romance and arson, not a customary twosome. And although Sergio, played by John Leguizamo, tries very hard to be lovable and significant, I just didn't get it. Bottom line: a bakery burns to the ground and six silly characters confess to the crime. The dumbest confession was the bakery owner's wife, played by Joan Plowright, who confessed because she wanted to do something to show her husband how much she loved him. Seems like there might be better ways of doing that than causing a 3-alarm fire! And then there's just one stupid situation after another - so much so, I fast-forwarded at times. I couldn't stand it. This one is complete with pratfalls, racing here and there, misunderstandings, and overblown, overplayed and ridiculous characters (some of whom were played by William Baldwin, Sadie Frost, Richard Crenna, and Michael Lerner.) I kept watching thinking one of these characters might eventually appeal to me. But it was a lost cause. The ending was predictable and I was glad when the goofy music began playing during the ending credits.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

So, this kind of movie... Funny...

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Joshua Brand

Director

William Baldwin

Garet

John Leguizamo

Sergio

Sadie Frost

Hattie

Erika Eleniak

Stephanie Potts

Michael Lerner

Perry

Encino Man

17%

56%

Encino Man

Watchlist

In the Army Now

12%

44%

In the Army Now

Watchlist

Houseguest

18%

55%

Houseguest

Watchlist

Gone Fishin'

4%

37%

Gone Fishin'

Watchlist

Cop and a Half

14%

34%

Cop and a Half

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Sweet-natured bakery employee Sergio (John Leguizamo) is in love with a tough-cookie waitress, Hattie (Sadie Frost), who won't go out with him because of his minimal income. When the bakery burns down, Sergio receives a strange offer from an unknown man: confess to arson and get $25,000. His boss, Mr. Linzer (Armin Mueller-Stahl), also confesses to the crime, but when the real arsonist (William Baldwin) appears, Hattie finds herself attracted to the mysterious stranger.

Director: Joshua Brand
Producer: Mark Gordon
Screenwriter: Morgan Ward
Distributor: Hollywood Pictures Home Video, Buena Vista Pictures
Production Co: Hollywood Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Apr 28, 1995, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $465.6K
Runtime: 1h 34m
Sound Mix: Surround

Most Popular at Home Now