Things We Lost in the Fire

Plot synopsis:
Audrey Burke (Halle Berry) and her warm and loving husband Brian (David Duchovny) have been happily married 11 years; they have a 10-year-old daughter named Harper (Alexis Llewellyn) and a 6-year-old son named Dory (Micah Berry). Jerry Sunborne (Benicio del Toro) is a heroin addict who has been Brian’s close friend since childhood.
Audrey gets tragic news delivered to her door by the local police: Brian has been killed in an attempt to defend a woman who was being beaten by her husband. On the day of the funeral Audrey realizes that she has forgotten to inform Jerry of Brian's death. Her brother Neal (Omar Benson Miller) delivers the message to Jerry and takes him to the funeral.
Audrey invites Jerry to move into the room adjacent to their garage, which he does. During his stay at the Burke home Jerry struggles to remain drug-free and also becomes very fond of Harper and Dory. The relationship between Jerry and Audrey is fragile and complicated. Jerry helps Audrey cope in many ways, including lying with her in bed to help her sleep. But Audrey, upset and confused, takes out her grief at Brian's death on Jerry. She becomes angry when Jerry helps Dory overcome his fear of submerging his head in the pool, as this had been something Brian had tried to do for years. Eventually her rudeness to him causes Jerry to move out and relapse with heroin. Audrey and Neal rescue and rehabilitate him and he agrees to admit himself to a specialized clinic. At first Harper, who has come to love Jerry, is angry that he is leaving, but after he leaves her a heartfelt note she forgives him. At the close of the film Jerry is still struggling with his addiction but seems to be well on his way to recovery. He leaves flowers on Audrey's doorstep with a note that reads, "Accept the good", a phrase which Jerry had said to Brian and Brian had subsequently said to Audrey.

Tags: romantic, murder, flashback

Review:
In the course of events, she discovers the redeeming qualities her husband had always seen in him.Del Torro gives a poignant performance of a drug addict who struggles to change his life after the loss of his best friend - with quiet dignity.
Although we could have been beaten over the head with the cute as heck kids, the story is actually more focused on the heroin addicted best friend played by Benecio del Toro.
Go see this film, it's a shame they didn't promote it better!I was so impressed with Bencio Del Torro he gave one of the best male performances that I have seen in a movie in a while.
It is one of the best films of the year.Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro give amazing performances and it is unfortunate that there are not more films that take advantage of their talents.
Most importantly, the order in which the events have been played was needed to be done that way for the characters develop, and, more importantly, for us to feel for them.Halle Berry is sooo natural and perfect as Audrey Burke that by the end, you forget that she's an actress and you'd address her as Mrs. Burke!
Anyway, pretty soon I heard so many wonderful things about it and I decided I might as well give it a try, because it at least sounded like it would be entertaining if anything else, and it had Halle Berry, who I always enjoy watching, regardless of the film.
Few films released last year have the quiet sensitivity in writing (Allan Loeb), direction (Susanne Bier), cinematography (Tom Stern), and acting (Berry, Del Toro, Duchovny) as this gem of a movie.
Taking on a subject of grief after a sudden traumatic death and the way it affects family and friends would seem like a tedious subject for a two hour film, but THINGS WE LOST IN THE FIRE proves again that care and devotion in telling a difficult story with restraint and tenderness is far more compelling that many of the 'big' movies that fill the theaters with more superficial topics.Brian Burke (David Duchovny) is a generously warm man to his beautiful wife Audrey (Halle Berry), their son Dory (Micah Berry), and daughter Harper (Alexis Llewellyn) as well as to his longtime, childhood friend Jerry Sunborne (Benecio Del Toro) who is constantly struggling with an addiction to heroin.
'Things', such as those items lost in a fire at the Burke's in the past, are simply 'things': interpersonal connection, hope, and the 'light from within' are what truly matter.Berry and Del Toro give finely nuanced performances in these difficult roles, further establishing their credentials as being two of our finest actors in film.
If you've seen her 2006 melodrama, "After the Wedding", you can clearly tell this is a Susanne Bier film as her signature style can be seen in the hand-held camera-work, the unexpected jump cuts and the heavy use of close-ups on the physical features of her principal actors during the most cathartic moments.
Alexis Llewellyn and Micah Berry (no relation to Halle) believably play Audrey's children, while John Carroll Lynch (the prime suspect in "Zodiac") provides welcome comedy relief as the Burkes' jogging neighbor, a real estate broker who wants to help Jerry turn his life around.
Even though his character is supportive to the point of being idealized, Omar Benson Miller effectively plays Audrey's too-good-to-be-true younger brother, and Alison Lohman ("White Oleander") shows up late in the film as a persistently inquisitive recovering addict.The 2008 DVD is relatively sparse on extras.
There is no commentary track from Bier or the principal actors, but there is a twenty-minute making-of featurette, "A Discussion About 'Things We Lost in the Fire'", which features comments from Bier, Loeb, producers Sam Mendes ("American Beauty") and Sam Mercer, Berry, Del Toro, Duchovny, Lohman and Miller.
While many have criticized the film for its slow pace and yes, Bier does take her time to tell the story, I did not see that as a disadvantage because this allows the viewer to really see the depth of the characters and how these people were deeply affected by tragedy.A lot of it depends on the actors' performances.
What could have been a run of the mill TV movie turns in to an acting tour de force for the always magnificent Benicio Del Toro and also surprisingly for Halle Berry (is it just me or does she need a better agent to steer her more towards roles that will show of her acting prowess rather than the tripe that she normally ends up in).
The basic premise of the film is that of Berry's character loosing her husband David Duchovny (good to see back on the big screen) and how to help her deal with the grief she invites Del Toro's character Jerry, Duchovny's best friend and a recovering heroin addict to live with her and her children.
There is an excellent supporting cast who all do well with their limited roles and even Berry's children are good and have a decent amount of restraint (a quality I wish we would see in more American child actors) The films reaches a nice subdued ending leaving multiple options open for the lead characters and although it is not easy viewing I would recommend this to everyone and will definitely give the movie multiple viewings..
There was no plot, no suspense, no excitement, nothing really unexpected happening, none of the characters had real depth.And as for exploring personal interactions again the script was as if written by a twelve year old child there was nothing of real substance in it and everything about it felt artificial and pretentious, duh.So for those that don't like such shallow, pointlessly wondering films don't bother wasting time or money on it..
Brian's best friend Jerry Sunborne (Benicio Del Toro) is a recurring drug addict, kept away from the family, but he nonetheless visited and helped out despite the spiralling downfall.
Nonetheless "Things We Lost in the Fire" feels at times like a compassionate top shelf family drama, occasionally glossy and with hints of soap opera, where the overall impact is increased by the powerful performance of Benicio del Toro.
It is definitely the best story i have seen in a long time, and not to mention the fantastic acting of Benicio Del Toro.
You can almost be assured of quality acting here in having both Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro play off each other as an unlikely couple who find strength in each other to overcome a major loss in their lives.
But she shares her husband's time, to much of her dislike, with his best friend Jerry Sunborne (Del Toro), a recovering drug junkie who's known him since young, being the only person who cares for Jerry when everyone else shuns him.But of course, the bulk of the movie dwells on how these 2 character adversaries have to come together to deal with the void left behind by a senseless street crime.
John Carroll Lynch, last since as a probable suspect in Zodiac, is that neighbour next door who comes by looking for a jogging partner, while Alison Lohman's Kelly also plays a recovering addict and almost unrecognizable because she ditched her blonde locks for a darker colour.From grief and despair to a slow plodding towards new hope, Things We Lost in the Fire ignited during a scene around a dinner table in the last act.
A conventional piece of drama, with great acting by Halle Berry and especially Benicio Del Toro, and definitely not to be missed by fans of either..
This film should definitely fall into Best Male Lead (Del Toro) ,Best Female Lead (Berry), Best Supporting Actor (Duchovny) and best Original Screenplay (Loeb) categories at the 2008 Oscars.If you want to see a "feel good" movie, avoid this one.
Alongside the ever-brilliant Benicio Del Toro, Berry reminds us here that she can add dimension to a character, herein conveying an unrestrained sense of heartbreak with maturity and fiery zest.The central theme of the film is coping, and moreover, surmounting one's problems, as Audrey Burke (Berry) experiences the irredeemable loss of her husband, Steven (Duchovny).
The picture Bier paints is a highly authentic depiction of the fallout surrounding catastrophic loss, and amazingly, she also succeeds in engaging the viewer.Jerry Sunborne (Del Toro), a long-time friend of Steven's, is a picture of depravity himself - a Heroin addict, yet, particularly in his interactions with Steven and Audrey's children, is a rather likable fellow.
Del Toro's performance is equally gritty and authentic as he attempts to once-and-for-all conquer his demons - his Jerry is as heartbreaking as he is well-acted.The film does begin to lose its steam in the final scenes, namely with an overly-sentimental dinner scene, yet steamrolls this with one of marked intensity, showcasing Berry's acting chops at their most mature and schooled, thus allowing much-needed catharsis for her character.By its end, Things We Lost in the Fire does become too bogged down in predictable sentimentality, but in the overall scheme of the narrative, it never takes a melodramatic, or predictable sexualised approach to the friendship between Jerry and Audrey.
Benicio del Toro and Halle Berry play two persons devastated by the death of a third,who try to stabilize their lives with the help of each other.Luckily the film never succumbs to the easy solution of a conventional romance and stays open till the end.The acting generally is excellent,also in minor roles by Duchovny and Lohman, but it's really del Toro's film.In every pore of his face we can feel the fight of a drug-addict to get clean and stay so.
But the film also has its drawbacks.As a member of the Dogma Movement Bier always had a penchant for extreme close-ups.This can be very effective,but here she clearly overdid it.The amount of mostly eyes, cheeks and hands takes away the concentration of the viewer and makes the film in parts too slow.The development of the scenario is sometimes schematic and predictable.The smoothing influence of Hollywood is clearly noticeable.I would have liked to see this film as a danish production, written by Anders Thomas Jensen and played by Mikkelsen and S.B.Knudsen in the main roles.I'm sure the result would be rougher and nearer to life.What also annoyed me was the character of Duchovny: He is way too perfect, a superhuman good samaritan.To resume: For a Hollywood drama the film is quite good, for a Bier film it is slightly disappointing..
That's a question that lies just under the surface of Suzanne Biere's Things We Lost in the Fire, a melodrama about a sudden death and those who are left behind to fumble in the darkness for an answer.Most certainly the despair falls on Audrey (Halle Berry) a beautiful housewife who, as the movie opens, is arranging a funeral for her beloved husband Brian (David Duchovney) who was shot to death while trying to stop a man from beating his wife in a parking lot.
There are moments in this movie when she quivers very lightly, until the end when the full grief hits her.Things We Lost in the Fire was directed by Susanne Bier, a Danish director whose specialty is creating family bonds.
Halle Berry shine's in the movie "Things we lost on the fire." Halle plays a widow who is now faced to raise two children after her husband was killed; she then invites a friend to stay with her who is a a recovering heroin addict.
However, unlike "Ordinary People", "Things" was directed like a music video or a druggie movie with lots of smash cuts, hand held camera movements, and extreme close ups of eyeballs which distracted from the drama rather than trusting it and enhancing it.
Wow!What a story!Benicio del Toro is brilliant as a chain smoking heroine addict.He proved once again after his great performance in "Traffic" that he can be one of the big ones in Hollywood.Halle Berry's acting is also outstanding worth the comparing of her Oscar awarded play in "Monster's ball", but if this movie has an Oscar worthy performance its definitely Del Toro's.This is one of the best films from 2007 and I am giving it only 9 stars because there are some weak spots in the plot that are not exactly realistic: Berry's character invites her dead husbands best friend in her bed to help her get asleep by massaging her ear.Del Toro's character (once a lawyer)started using cheap types of drugs to end up as a heroine junkie.
ultimately making me drum my fingers on the table rather than keeping me glued to the screen.Let it be said: Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro are two fine actors, and the people they play here are very nice characters who'd you'd be happy to live next door to and borrow some sugar from.
Brian Burke (David Duchovny) is best friend to junkie Jerry Sunborne (Benicio Del Toro).
The plot is realistic and intelligent, and viewers can ponder and think through lots of things; addiction issues, raising children, fragility of human life - among others.But the main pearls are the leading actors - Berry and Del Toro.
Thigns We Lost in the Fire is a very interesting movie which has many positive points,specially the performances.Halle Berry and Benicio del Toro both bring monumental performances which were sadly ignored at all the pathetic awards.These two actors could express complex emotions without the necessity of dialogs or exaggeration.The screenplay is also very good.It is very detailed and it makes a very precise portrait of every character,so we can perfectly know them.Another good point from this movie is that it never falls on cheap sentimentalism.It is always very honest.The fail I found on this movie is that it needed a better edition on some parts.Some scenes are redundant and they are a little bit tedious.Things We Lost in the Fire is not an excellent drama but it's a very interesting one and it also counts with two extraordinary performances.Rating:8.5.
I did get fired up that there was one cinematic item that I am glad got recovered in "Things We Lost in the Fire"; and that would be the intense authentic performance of Benicio Del Toro portraying Jerry Sunborne, the drug-addicted best friend of Audrey's deceased husband which she turns to to put out the fire!
Susanne Bier's 2007 movie, Things We Lost in the Fire sees Halle Berry as Audrey Burke, a recently widowed woman, who enters into an unexpected relationship with a figure from her late spouse's life.
What could easily be over sentimentalised, Lifetime drama is a well-handled and compelling tale of love, loss, grief and recovery.Benicio Del Toro performance as Jerry Sunborne, the deadbeat heroin addict whom everyone gave up on, except Burke's late husband, is well nuanced.
Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro have never been better but then there simply isn't a bad performance in this movie.
Benicio del Toro, at his most engaging and natural, is the addict best friend of Halle Berry's husband (a slightly too saintly David Duchovny.) Benicio comes to mean a lot to Halle and her kids, as, in a naturally messy way they forge a bumpy familial relationship from the ashes of a major tragedy.
When Susanne Bier's "Things we lost in the fire" begins we find out Brian (David Duchovny) has died and his wife Audrey (Halle Berry) wants to make sure that Jerry (Benicio del Toro), a friend of his, attends the funeral.
Danish director Susanne Bier's first American venture, "Things We Lost in the Fire" is one of those surprisingly good human dramas that often gets lost in the shuffle and doesn't receive the credit it deserves.When Audrey (Halle Berry) loses her husband (David Duchovny) in a tragic Good Samaritan act gone bad, she deals with her grief in an unexpected way by inviting his drug-addicted best friend Jerry (Benicio Del Toro) to come live with her and her two young children while he "gets on his feet." Featuring a music score designed to remind people of "21 Grams" (which also starred Del Toro and played with many of the same themes) and interesting cinematography full of extreme close-ups and small visual details designed to evoke intimacy and realism, "Things We Lost in the Fire" delicately mirrors Audrey's grief process against Jerry's rocky recovery.The film is far from perfect as it sometimes deals with subjects (especially the scenes where Jerry is withdrawing from heroin) in a clichéd manner.
Fortunately, the focus is largely on the incredible Benicio Del Toro  an inspired piece of casting  whose natural, if eccentric acting skills manage to deflect attention away to some degree from Halle Berry's more pedestrian performance.Berry plays Audrey, loving wife of Brian (David Duchovny), whose is gunned down in the street after preventing a man from beating his wife.
The main story here is how they will be able to deal with it.Benicio Del Toro is superb as Brian's friend since age 2, Jerry Sunborne, who also happens to be a former lawyer who has messed up life by becoming a heroin addict.
Audrey is soon drawn to one of her husband's life-long friends Jerry Sunborne(Benicio Del Toro).
Berry's talent can transcend her looks in the right director's hands.Benicio del Toro is riveting as the addicted best friend of Berry's late husband (played very well by David Duchovny).
Things We Lost In The Fire is a very fine film and the performances of del Toro and Halle Berry were just spot on.
The direction of Susanne Bier was perfect and seemed to bring out the best in the actors.The film tells the story of a woman (Berry) who loses her husband ((David Duchovny) when he tries to stop a man from beating his wife.
Also the scene where Audrey (Berry) finds him in a filthy squat smacked out of his mind.This is definitely one of Benicio del Toro's best films and one worth watching.
He was great.I hope that Benicio del Toro makes more films like this in the future..