“Things We Lost In the Fire” (Paramount Pictures)
An Emotional, Heartfelt Journey
Academy Award winners Halle Berry and Benicio Del Toro co-star in “Things We Lost In the Fire,” a movie that will challenge your mind and penetrate your heart. The story, the photography, the acting and the direction are all first rate. Here in the fall, audiences might not be in the mood for such a serious film but it is hoped they will learn of its impact and seek it out.
Berry plays Audrey, a married mother of two. She and her husband Steven (David Duchovny) have an almost idyllic marriage. One of the few things they argue about is Steven’s devotion to his best friend from childhood, Jerry (Del Toro). Jerry is involved in drugs and Audrey considers him a complete loser.
Then tragedy strikes. Steven is killed when he goes to the aid of a woman being beaten by her husband on the street. Audrey’s world is turned upside down. Adrift she reaches out to Jerry and asks him to stay in the garage apartment they had been adding to their home.
The rest of the film is all about Audrey and Jerry’s relationship and how each draws strength and understanding from the other. It is a rocky relationship and one that impacts both of them as well as Audrey’s kids Harper (Alexis Llewellyn) and Dory (Micah Berry).
The acting in this movie is phenomenal. Berry shows she is beautiful and talented. Her emotional range in this movie is wide and each nuance is perfection. You grieve for Audrey and with Audrey because of the way Berry draws you into the role.
As good as Berry is, Del Toro is better. You can’t imagine how believable he is as a conflicted drug addict. At times in the film you are disgusted with him but most of the time you empathize with him. He too draws you into his character and makes you want to spend time with him – problems and all.
Duchovny is very good in his brief role. He makes such an indelible imprint on you at the start of the film that he impacts the rest of the movie. Also good are Alison Lohman as a member of Narcotics Anonymous who befriends Jerry, and John Carroll Lynch as a family friend with problems of his own.
Llewellyn and Berry (no relation to Halle) are excellent in their roles. They are believable as children and not precocious little actors. Some of their scenes are the most heart-tugging of all.
The film is rated R for profanity, drug use and violence.
Susanne Bier directed the film and she knows the importance of close ups of eyes, ears and fingers. These scenes add to the intimacy of the movie and make the audience a part of it. One scene that focuses on Audrey slipping her wedding band around on her finger is particularly touching.
There is a special warmth and integrity to “Things We Lost In the Fire.” It is a movie that will affect you emotionally and stay with you long after it has ended. It is a movie worth your time.
I scored “Things We Lost In the Fire” a burning 8 out of 10.
